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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 5

1925

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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 6

CRYING SIRENS
WITH GUESTS
THE PATCHWORK GIRLS
SIREN BLACK
RASH OF SATAN
Crying Sirens are a Melbourne 4-piece made
up of Jesse Delaney (vocals/guitar), Adam
Kurzel (vocals/guitar), Toshiharu Sakamoto
(bass) and Greg Limberis (drums). All 4 have
extensively recorded and toured in other
Australian bands.
Crying Sirens mix elements of progressive
post-hardcore rock with shoegaze delay and
atmosphere. Their ďŹ rst album is being mixed
at the moment with release scheduled for
mid year on a local label.
They play the Brunny on Saturday March
8th with Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Patchwork Girls and also
with Melbourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Siren Black and the Rash
of Satan.

WITH YOUR HOST BRODIE
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‘Our Best Of’ 16 track collection available now on Festival

feelpresents.com

Lloyd
Cole.

Feel presents

Thu. 26th June Caravan Music Club,
Oakleigh
Fri. 27th June Thornbury Theatre
Sat. 28th June Theatre Royal,
Castlemaine
Sun. 29th June Flying Saucer Club,
Elsternwick (Afternoon show 3-6pm)
Tickets for all shows on sale now
from feelpresents.com
New album ‘Standards’ out now
CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

GARY NUMAN
Gary Numan has revealed a string of Australian tour
dates. Numan released his 20th album, Splinter, late last
year – and each time he puts out a new record, it seems
to spark another dozen artists into action. David Bowie,
Marilyn Manson, Trent Reznor and Prince all gush with
praise about Numan’s influence on their careers. Catch
Gary Numan at The Hi-Fi on Friday May 30.

MELANIE SAFKA

KATY PERRY
Australia will get a taste of Katy Perry’s infamous cherry chapstick when she heads Down Under for her Prismatic
tour this November. The pop star behind smash hits like I Kissed a Girl, California Girls and Last Friday Night will
perform on a state-of-the art stage designed especially for the tour that will allow her to get closer to fans than
ever before. Katy Perry hits Rod Laver Arena on Friday November 14 and Saturday November 15. Tickets go on
sale at noon on Tuesday March 11 from Ticketek.

GIRLS TO THE MIC
In an Australian first, the Community Broadcasting
Association of Australia’s Digital Radio Project and
Community Radio Network will be presenting a day
of radio made by women to be enjoyed by everyone.
Soundtrack your International Women’s Day with a
digital pop-up radio station online at girlstothemic.
org. Tune in on Saturday March 8 for Girls to the
Mic to hear ideas, discussion, storytelling and music
celebrating women within our communities, across
Australia and around the world. Hit up facebook.com/
girlstothemic for more info.

PBS ANNOUNCES TWILIGHT
SOUNDS FESTIVAL
PBS 106.7FM will be presenting a special live broadcast
from Sills Bend in Warringal Parklands to celebrate
Banyule City’s annual Twilight Sounds Festival. Hosts
of PBS’ The Breakfast Spread, Cat and Crispi will
oversee the festivities which includes The Royal Jellies,
Shaun Kirk, The Bombay Royale and Clare Bowditch.
It goes down on Saturday March 22 from 6pm - 10pm.
Head down to Sills Bend to catch it in person or tune
into PBS to hear it on the airwaves.

Legendary singer/songwriter Melanie Safka is making
her long awaited return to Australian shores this June.
The tour, which kicks off in Adelaide, will be the world
premiere of her new People In The Front Row Tour
conceived together by Melanie, her son Beau and Sydney
producer David M. Hawkins. Melanie first shot to stardom
with her unforgettable appearance at Woodstock Festival
in 1969. The performance prompted the now-common
phenomenon of signalling an artist for an encore by
holding up some form of light (first it was a candle, which
merged into lighters, then flashlights and now mobile
phones). Her long list of achievements boasts a number of
firsts including the first female performer to have three Top
40 hits concurrently with Brand New Key, The Nickel Song
and Ring the Living Bell and the first commercial artist to
perform on the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall stage.
Melanie’s last Melbourne appearance saw two shows
extended into twelve sold out concerts at the Dallas Brooks
Hall in 1977. Melanie will play the Melbourne Recital
Centre on Thursday June 26. Tickets go on sale Friday
March 14 through the venue’s website. A donation from
profits from the tour will be made to Animals Australia.

THE PERCH CREEK FAMILY
JUGBAND

The Perch Creek Family Jugband announce the arrival
of their second studio album Jumping On The Highwire,
set for release on Wednesday March 19 through Vitamin
Records. The band refer to the sound as “psychedelic jug
band” – steam-powered roots music plugged into 3,000
volts of inner city creative energy and a fearless spirit that
makes Jumping On The Highwire sparkle with individuality.
To celebrate the upcoming release, the crew will embark
on an extensive tour around the country, stopping by The
Hi-Fi on Saturday May 10. Tickets from the venue.

CERES

Ceres announce national tour in celebration of their debut
album, I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here Ceres have
announced they will be heading off on their first national
tour, beginning this March.The four-piece will play the
Melbourne leg of Soundwave Festival this week, as winners
of triple j’s Unearthed Soundwave competition before
heading off around the country. The twelve-stop tour,
beginning in Hobart and finishing in WA, will see the band
playing with friends including The Smith Street Band,
Luca Brasi, Grim Fandango and Hobblededoy Records’
inaugural Brisbane ‘Hobble Day’ featuring stablemates
Arrows, Jamie Hay and We Set Sail. I Don’t Want To Be
Anywhere But Here is set for release Friday April 4. Catch
Ceres on Friday March 21 at John Curtain Hotel with
Luca Brasi, Postblue and Kissing Booth, Sunday March 23
at Karova Lounge, Ballarat with The Smith Street Band,
The Menzingers and Grim Fandango and Friday March
28 at Reverence Hotel with Sincerely Grizzly, Have/Hold
and The Wrecks.

HOT DUB TIME MACHINE

The Hot Dub Time Machine party phenomenon is
returning for a national tour. The concept is simple: one
song from each year in music, starting in the ‘50s and
ending somewhere in musical mindfuck oblivion. You can
bet by the time you hit the ‘90s, shit will get real. It goes
down at the Northcote Social Club on Friday April 11.

MEGAN WASHINGTON

Megan Washington will play a very special intimate
show this April in support of her new single Who Are
You. Recorded in London’s RAK Studios and Peter
Gabriel’s New World, Who Are You is the first piece
of material that Washington has released in two years.
Catch her at Howler on Saturday April 12.

MAU POWER

To celebrate the release of his new album, The Show
Must Go On rapper Mau Power, the first MC to record
and tour from the Torres Strait Islands, has announced
a run of Australian shows. Mau Power is a lyrical
storyteller from Thursday Island in the Torres Straits.
He recorded his first song in Brisbane when he was
17 and was attending the University of Southern
Queensland. Shortly after he was incarcerated and
while in prison, the song was leaked throughout the
Islands. Mau Power is now the owner of his own music
company, a strong community leader and works with
youth throughout the Straits and Australia, running
workshops for people such as Desert Pea Media and
Unicef. His live show consists of a five piece band two MC’s, a live soul singer, DJ and Traditional Torres
Strait Dancer in full costume. Mau Power will play The
Water To Water Festival at Briars Historic Park, Mt
Martha on Saturday March 29.

60 SECONDS with
CRYING SIRENS

Define your genre in five words or less.
‘90s alternativerockpunkthefuture
Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this
question, what do you reckon people will
say you sound like? Elements of Helmet,
Swervedriver, Rival Schools, early Foo
Fighters, Pixies. Plus volume, rhythm and
melody, and love, sweet love.
What do you love about making music?
It’s an addiction. You either do it or you
don’t.
What do you hate about the music
industry? Music has been replaced by
entertainment yet the majority of people
still eat it up.
What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? Selftitled EP and forthcoming album (mid
year).
When’s the gig and with who? This
Saturday March 8 at Brunswick Hotel.
Crying Sirens, Patchwork Girls, Siren
Black and Rash of Satan.
What do you think a band has to do
these days to succeed? Know what their
definition of success is. And know when
they have it.
Why should everyone come and see your
band? People stop what they’re doing,
watch and listen. Songs written from the
heart that grab you by the throat.

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LOS CORONAS

ILUKA

Resident mermaid and Sydney-charmer Iluka will be taking
her newest single, 12th of July, on the road with her this May.
It’s the indie pop singer’s first single since winning the First
Break competition last year, which saw the young siren beat
other finalists Burning Broolykn, Kelsie Rimmer, Ban Hazelwood, and Ginger & Drum to receive support and guidance from some of Australia’s best music professionals. Iluka
has garnered the attention of Matt Corby, The Rubens, and
Clairy Browne & the Bangin’ Rackettes for her smokey vocals and eclectic songwriting. Iluka will be playing at The
Grace Darling Hotel on Saturday May 10. Tickets are available through the Grace Darling.

Spanish rockers Los Coronas have locked in
a Golden Plains sideshow. This will be the
band’s second appearance in Australia since
their debut at the 2012 Pyramid Rock. Back
home, Los Coronas have forged a name
for themselves for their fierce intensity and
contagious rhythms imbued with a ‘60s
Californian surf sound. Los Coronas will be
performing at the Corner Hotel on Friday
March 14. We have some double passes and
a CD to give away.

CARL COX
A musical ambassador since he was in short
trousers, a professional DJ since his early
teens, a veteran of acid house and a champion
of techno – you name it, Carl Cox has been
there and done it, never losing sight of his
passions – playing music, breaking tunes and
celebrating life. He’s playing a three hour set
at Trak Live Lounge Bar this Friday March 7
and we have a double pass to give away.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE

Justin Timberlake will finally return to Australia later this year. As part of The 20/20 Experience World Tour, his
Australian stopover will mark the Grammy and Emmy award-winning artist’s first headline tour Down Under in
six years. Catch him at Etihad Stadium on Thursday September 18. Tickets through Live Nation.

SEX ON TOAST

A nine man explosion of ‘80s pop music, yacht-rock, R&B,
and synth-funk, Sex On Toast showcase undeniable musical finesse whilst never taking themselves too seriously. The
band have released their new single, the smooth, falsettoladen slow jam Hold My Love from their long awaited selftitled nine-song debut album recently on RRR with Chris
Gill on Get Down. The buzz is well and truly underway for
their hometown album launch at Northcote Social Club
on Friday March 28 and subsequent East Coast tour dates.
Tickets are $12 on the door. Friday 28th March will see the
release of Sex On Toast’s debut album, an opus of raw emotion, tumultuous sexuality and party jams, recorded at Sing
Sing studios and mixed in stereo, for her pleasure.

BLUESFEST

Bluesfest Music Festival may be 80% sold out, but it isn’t
stopping organisers from announcing more sharp and
innovative additions to their bill. This time around Matt
Corby, Saskwatch, Skunkhour, Dubmarine, Foy Vance,
Kim Churchill, Watussi, Lime Cordiale, Tijuana Cartel
and Tim Rogers will be joining Jack Johnson, Buddy
Guy, Iron & Wine and Joss Stone for a weekend of blues,
soul and jazz. Another exciting addition is Playing for
Change, a musical initiative that raises money to build
music and art schools around the world for children.
Bluesfest will be held at Tyagarah Tree Farm, Byron Bay,
from Thursday April 17 – Monday April 20. Get your
tickets through Bluesfest before they sell out.

CUPIDFALLS

CUPIDFALLS are returning to Melbourne as part of
their third Australian tour to launch their debut full
length album Bay View and are bringing Perth mates I,
Said The Sparrow along with them for the ride, as well
as a powerful live set full of a slew of new material and
a handful of old favourites from acclaimed EP Dancing
In Distortion. CUPIDFALLS formed in late 2010 and
Bay View marks the band’s first release in three years,
showcasing their refined pop influenced post-hardcore
sound, producing a captivating live performance which
is not to be missed. It all goes down at POW Nightclub on Friday March 7 for 18+ and Lilydale Bridge
Builders on Saturday March 9 for all ages.

Head to beat.com.au/freeshit to win.

APIA GOOD TIMES TOUR

After last year’s sell-out series, the APIA Good
Times Tour has rounded up four more music icons
for this year’s edition. Legends Joe Camilleri, Richard
Clapton, Russell Morris and Leo Slayer have been
selected to tour around the country, performing hits
like Girls on the Avenue, The Real Thing and You Make
Me Feel Like Dancing. The musicians will treat fans
to their own selections before coming together for
what’s sure to be an unforgettable finale. The APIA
Good Times Tour hits the Palais Theatre on Friday
May 30. Tickets go on sale Monday March 3 at 9am
from Ticketmaster.

Hip hop titans Thundamentals have announced a massive run of tour dates to celebrate the release of their longawaited third album So We Can Remember, due out in May. The lead single from the forthcoming LP - Smiles Don’t Lie
marked the crew’s first release since 2011’s Foreverlution. Second single Something I Said (ft. Thom Crawford) layers
old school beats and triumphant horns over the honest lyrics for what’s sure to become a crowd favourite. Thundamentals will play the Corner Hotel on Friday May 2. Tickets are available from the venue’s website.

SWEETHEAD

Kyle Kinane
26/3 – 6/4

Australian Queens Of The Stone Age fans are in for an extra
treat with L.A band Sweethead, the creation of Queens Of
The Stone Age guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen and Serrina
Sims announcing two shows in Australia while Queens
Of The Stone Age are here touring with Nine Inch Nails.
Sweethead will hit the stage straight after the Queens
Of The Stone Age/ Nine Inch Nails arena shows in both
Sydney and Melbourne. Members of QOTSA will also be
Djing. Sweethead recently announced details of their new
EP Reverse Exorcism!, which is the follow up to their debut
2009 self-titled album. Sweethead will play Ding Dong
Lounge on Friday March 14.

Former front-man of The Commotions, Lloyd Cole, will
be touching Australian shores this June in promotion of his
to-be-released album Standards. Inspired by Bob Dylan’s
Tempest, Standards will see Cole release one of his best
albums since his debut 30 years ago with The Commotions.
Full of twists and valleys, and bristling with emotive guitar,
Standards saw Lloyd gain contributions from Matthew
Sweet, Fred Maher, Blair Cowan, Joan as Police Woman
and Will Cole. Standards will be released through The
Planet Company on Friday May 9. Lloyd Cole will perform
old and new hits at the Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh, on
Thursday June 26, the Thornbury Theatre on Friday June
27, and the Flying Saucer Club on Sunday June 29. Tickets
are available through each venue from Monday March 3.

Northlane
Sat 31 May
Sun 1 Jun U18s

Rebel Souljahz
Fri 26 Sep

TIX + INFO THEHIFI.COM.AU

1300 THE HIFI

125 SWANSTON ST, MELBOURNE

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 12

The Espy has announced the first bill of its Swarm
2014 lineup. Headlining the music extravaganza will
be Jericco, a rocking band that has delivered us four
glorious releases over the past four years, including Nice
To See You EP and their debut LP - Beautiful in Danger.
Joining these metallic men will be Dead In A Second,
who will be releasing their mini-album The Double
Treblio on Friday March 14 through Universal Music.
Swarm 2014 will hit The Espy on Friday March 28.
Tickets are on sale now through the The Espy.

4. MF Doom - Mm..Food
Doom has so much great music but Mm.. Food has
always been my favourite. Ten years later I still listen
to it and pick up on new lyrics I hadn’t understood
before. There would be no Earl Sweatshirt without
MF Doom, and I definitely owe a lot of my style
to him too.

Gary Numan
Fri 30 May

Crimson ProjeKCt (UK)
Thu 26 Jun

SWARM 2014

Shady. He was broke, desperate and rapping his arse
off. These were my anthems of being 15 and lost.
The album failed commercially and Eminem rarely
mentions it when talking about his discography, but
who cares what he thinks, it’s a great album.

Hits & Pits Round 3
feat. Unwritten law
+ More
Sat 17 May

Band of Skulls
Tue 17 Jun

After playing together as part of Masketta Falls Parachute
tour late last year, Adelaide’s All Year Round and
Brisbane’s Set The Record are teaming up for a national
co-headlining tour. Both bands have been individually
making a name for themselves in their hometowns,
having supported pop-punk giants including All Time
Low, Hit The Lights, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and A
Loss For Words. This time around the Settle Your Own
Score tour will be the first headlining tour for both bands
and will see them heading to Brisbane, Melbourne and
Adelaide. All Year Round will be promoting their brandspanking new EP In Perspective with Set The Record
bringing their late 2013 release Above The World along for
the ride. Catch Set The Record and All Year Round at
Wrangler Studios, Footscray on Saturday April 19, with
supports to be announced soon.

TOP FIVE HIP HOP RECORDS
with ALLDAY

(GRE) &
Fleshgod
Apocalypse (ITA)
Fri 16 May

Coroner
Thu 5 Jun

SET THE RECORD

1. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Every couple of years a collective comes out and
people compare them to the Wu, but they never
get close. 36 Chambers was the only album my rock
friends and my hip hop friends could agree on
listening to when we were drinking, they are pure
badass-ness.
2. Outkast - Aquemini
I could have just chosen five Outkast albums but I
decided to only pick one. Andre 3000 is one of the
best rappers to ever live and Big Boi (though forever
in his shadow) is not far off. Aquemini was the first
Outkast album I bought, but I love them all. There’s
reports that a new album is in the works? Yes, please.
3. Eminem - Infinite
This was Eminem before he had invented Slim

5. Little Brother - GetBack
Before you go all crazy, I know that GetBack
isn’t even Little Brother’s best album. But it
was the album that had the most effect on
me. When I was working in a record store in
Adelaide it was the only Little Brother album
we stocked, so I l listened to it every day. These
days Drake is one of my favourite artists, but
how could I include Drake without the group
that influenced him?
Catch ALLDAY at the Push Pop Up Stage at
Moomba Festival, Speakers Corner, Birrarung
Marr on Monday March 10 (Labour Day Holiday).
Other guests include Remi, The Smith Street Band
along with the FReeZA Push Start Band Comp
Grand Final including Alkali Fly, Baking Blind,
Residual, Darcy Fox, Listerdale, The Rims, Bel
Air, Worship The Fallen and Great John Himself.
Tickets are free.

The buzz on Jimblah is getting louder with each month
that passes since his acclaimed album Phoenix dropped.
Considered by critics as one of the most important and
powerful albums of 2013, it was recognised by being
shortlisted for the prestigious Australian Music Prize. In
celebration of the album and an incredibly stellar year,
Jimblah will hit up Shebeen on Friday April 4 alongside
Pataphysics and Yung Philly. Tickets are on sale now.

ALLDAY

Hip hop upstart Allday has been added to the Moomba Festival’s free Push Pop Up Stage. The 21-year-old rapper’s recent single Claude Monet has grown to be a crowd favourite,
earning a spot in triple j’s heavy rotation lineup. Allday will
join The Smith Street Band, Remi, and the FreeZA Push
Start grand finalists at the Push Pop Up Stage. Catch Allday
at Moomba Festival on Monday March 10. More information is available from the festival’s website.

MONEY FOR ROPE/THE
BOWERS

Prominent members of the mutual appreciation society,
Money For Rope and The Bowers have reignited an age
old idea of doing a split EP where a new song from each
band and a cover of each other is recorded and released (for
Record Store Day). Earlier last year the two bands headed
into Newmarket Studios in North Melbourne to smash out
a few tunes and came away some killer new tracks such as
Money For Rope’s soulful version of The Bowers’ Caught
Your Smile whilst The Bowers totally reinvented Money For
Rope’s Soup Bowl. Melbourne born/Brisbane-based artist
Keith Burt has also done a wonderful piece of art especially
for the cover. With the imaginative title of SPLIT, the fourtrack EP will be released on 12” vinyl only with a digital
download code included with distribution from Inertia. To
launch this mad dog, Money For Rope and The Bowers will
play Howler on Easter Thursday April 17 along with guests
The Owls. Doors at 8pm, $15 through OzTix.

ANDREW STRONG

After a hugely successful 2013 Australian tour, Andrew
Strong will return to our shores for yet another The
Commitments Tour. The tour sees the Irish singer
perform all of The Commitments hits from the 1992 Alan
Parker cult classic with backing from an eight piece
band. Andrew Strong will bring The Commitments
tour to the Corner Hotel on Sunday August 3. Tickets
are available from the venue’s website.

LANEWAY/COLLARTS
FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE
MINI-DOCO

This will make you want to work at the next music festival. St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, Collarts and Acclaim
Creative provided nine students first hand experience of
what it is actually like to work on the operations side of
Melbourne’s Laneway Festival. Rubbing shoulders with the
likes of Lorde, King Krule, Vance Joy and many more, the
Collarts nine were busy assisting in the audio production
and artist liaison/event management of the sold-out festival. Providing a fascinating insight into what it is like to
work at a festival such as Laneway for the very first time,
the students talk of nerves, their personal relationship to
the festival and the fact that they are clearly having a blast
doing what they love. For those of you who are interested in
working in the music industry, this video takes you through
what your career could be like. Check out collarts.edu.au
and melbourne.lanewayfestival.com for more info.

STONEFIELD

Melbourne rock darlings Stonefield have will hit the
road this autumn in support of their highly buzzed
about new single Love You Deserve. With the release
of their self-titled debut album in October, sold out
east coast tour and Best Regional Act award at the
inaugural The Age Music Victoria Awards, 2013
proved to be a banner year for the sister act. Catch
Stonefield at the Prince Bandroom on Friday May 2.
Tickets are available from Oztix.

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Ahead of a national Australian tour, Thirty Seconds To Mars guitarist Tomo Miličević
opens up about $30 million lawsuits, sending singles into space and why rock’n’roll is a
full-time job.
Say what you like about Thirty Seconds To Mars;
they’re no strangers to hard work. Last year alone
harboured a critically-acclaimed album, globetrotting
live shows, an award-winning documentary and
countless meet and greets. Just a few months into 2014
and the band are already embarking on one of their
most extensive world tours yet.
But then Jared Leto, Shannon Leto and Tomo
Miličević have never been ones to rest on their laurels
(or rest at all, it seems). Starting out as a collaboration
between Hollywood actor and one-time My So-Called
Life heartthrob, recent Oscar winner Jared and his
brother Shannon, Thirty Seconds To Mars’ self-titled
debut was released in 2002.
Miličević joined the band as lead guitarist a year later
and the band went on to achieve platinum sales with
second album A Beautiful Life, as well as a clutch of
MTV Awards. Eleven years and two albums later,
Thirty Seconds To Mars are showing no sign of slowing
down. “It’s a non-stop process, whether it’s touring or
making a new album, or just making videos or creating
content; we all do a lot of different things,” Miličević
says. “It’s a full-time job, there is no break. We may not
be on tour, we may not be currently making an album
but we’re always doing something.”
The approach to making an album is always “different,”
he says. “You definitely don’t have a formula, you just
follow the creativity. You as a person, you change over
time and the way that you interpret the world around
you into your music changes as well. In that way the
recording process changes, but we’re always just kind
of following the song and not trying to put too many
boundaries on the process.”
Another boundary the band don’t like to place on the
songwriting process is how the material will work live;
though it does enter the discussions the band does
have. “The shows certainly are part of the discussion
as far as how to envision ‘will this work live?’ or ‘what
might this feel like live?’, but we don’t really use that as
a deciding factor. For us, the album is one thing and the
studio and the process of creation should be limitless,
and if you start thinking about the many limitations of
a live show, you’ll probably end up with a less-thanstellar result. We treat the album as one thing and
then we figure out how to present that album live, but
certainly we talk about how that album may feel live.”
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 16

Bringing the Love, Lust, Faith And Dreams Tour to
Australia next month, Miličević is looking forward to
introducing the band’s latest material. “It’s one of our
favourite places to come to, maybe you guys don’t realise
because you live there but it is one of the most beautiful
places on Earth, it’s totally unique. The fact that we get
to play a show in front of people is even better.”
The Australian leg of the tour comes after Thirty
Seconds To Mars were forced to reschedule dates
originally planned for August last year. As a band that
enjoy a strong connection with their fans, it was a tough
decision to make and Tomo expresses his gratitude for
“everyone’s patience” during the postponement.

“WE’RE ALL THERE UNITED
BY THIS COMMON THING
IN THE SONG, IT DOESN’T
MATTER IF WE SPEAK
ENGLISH OR THEY SPEAK
ARABIC, WE’RE ALL THERE
DOING THE SAME THING.”
“Audiences are different but you start to notice
similarities between people. Even with different
languages and completely different cultures, you start
to see a lot of similarities, which is interesting. We’re
all there united by this common thing in the song,
it doesn’t matter if we speak English or they speak
Arabic, we’re all there doing the same thing.”
Miličević is familiar with crossing cultural boundaries
through music. Born to Bosnian Croat parents in
Sarajevo, he emigrated to the United States as a child
and began writing his own music at 17. “[Being able
to unite people with music] is probably one of the
most incredible things, it’s absolutely an honour and
mindblowing every time.”
The Oz tour follows the band’s fourth studio album,
Love, Lust, Faith And Dreams, released in May last
year. A concept album with hints of electronica, it
peaked at #4 in the ARIA charts, thanks in part to the
unique promotion technique which saw its first single

DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

(appropriately named Up In The Air) blasted into space.
“We just wanted to do something different and have
fun with the kick-off of our new album. Jared had this
idea that maybe there was some kind of launch going
on and we could do an event with NASA. It turned out
that they did have a launch; sometimes you just gotta
ask, I guess! They seemed to be quite happy about it
and they definitely had fun with it – it was a once-ina-lifetime thing.”
The recording process behind Love, Lust, Faith And
Dreams was a far cry from Thirty Seconds To Mars’
2008 album, This Is War. Made in the middle of a legal
battle with Virgin, who were attempting to sue the
band for breach of contract, the album was borne out
of a tumultuous period in the band’s history.
“The environment surrounding the process for Love,
Lust, Faith And Dreams was completely different;
filled with joy and positivity and a limitless search for
creativity. That’s how it should be and I think you can
hear it. In some ways, this album is even darker than
This Is War as far as the songwriting content goes but
the process was definitely much lighter and I really
love this album.”
It doesn’t take a clinical psychologist to figure out
that recording an album without the pressure of a $30
million lawsuit makes for a much happier working
environment, but while the legal complications
undoubtedly took their toll on the band, they also
proved to be the inspiration behind Leto’s directorial
debut, Artefact.
The documentary film follows Thirty Seconds To Mars’
legal battle and shines a light on the less savoury side
of the music industry. It won the People’s Choice
Documentary Award when it premiered at the 2012
Toronto International Film Festival.
“It took five years to finish,” Miličević says. “I lived it
and I’m part of it, but the documentary as a piece of
work, it’s Jared’s baby. It was heavy and really dark and
surrounded by a lot of uncertainty and confusion. We
literally could have lost everything that we had worked
for and there would have been nothing we could do
about it so it was definitely scary. The documentary is
really great, it’s an interesting look at the behind-thescenes workings of the music business. Putting out an
album has very little to do with creativity and a lot to
do with bureaucratic bullshit.”
Happily for Miličević and his bandmates, the case was
settled with a California Appeals Court ruling that no
service contract in the state is valid after a period of
seven years and Love, Lust, Faith And Dreams stands
as a testament to the band’s strength. “The way it
connects with people live is unbelievable; people in
Australia will see that at the shows. There’s definitely
a fire going around with our concerts in the past year
and I know that the new album has a lot to do with it.”

THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS play Hisense
Arena on Friday March 28.

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CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 17

THIS WEEK:
ON SCREEN
Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, Jane
Eyre) and Girls actor Adam Driver star in
Australian biopic Tracks, which opened in
cinemas this week. Inspired by the true story of
Robyn Davidson and her solo trek from Alice
Springs to the western coastline of Australia
with four camels and her dog, Tracks is directed
by John Curran (The Painted Veil) and will
capture the uneasy friendship that formed
between New Yorker and National Geographic
photographer Rick Smolan and Davidson, in
exchange for the much needed trip funding. Full
of majestic cinematography and breathtaking
wilderness, Tracks will show that the impossible
is attainable. Tracks is currently open across all
mainstream cinemas.

ON STAGE
Still haven’t seen the Melbourne Theatre
Company’s production of Private Lives? You
have until this Saturday to book tickets, as the
show closes this week. Written by Noël Coward,
Private Lives details the story of two couples
honeymooning in France—Elyot and Sybil,
and Amanda and Victor—and the romance
that blossoms between ex-husband and wife
Amanda and Elyot. Directed by Sam Strong, and
starring Lucy Durack and Leon Ford as the exsweethearts, Private Lives has been commended
for its chemistry and humour. Private Lives will
close at the MTC on Saturday March 8.

ON DISPL AY
Off The Kerb Gallery in Collingwood recently
opened its newest selection of exhibitions—
Hoarder by Mitch Walder, Unbridled by
Amz Kelso and The Great Leader Series by
Ying Huang—which symbolically explores
contemporary culture. Kelso’s Unbridled
delicately blends the mythology of unicorns and
women in modern society with the Japanese
pop-culture influences to critically engage with
our definition of ‘feminine’ and ‘womanhood’.
Hoarder, by Walder delves into the intellectual
hoarder through chaotic illustrations and block
colours that symbolise thought and imagination,
while Huang’s The Great Leader Series satirises
politics and art through thoughtful photographic
composition, interrogating state power, gay rights
and equality in our world. Hoarder, Unbridled,
The Great Leader Series is currently on exhibition
at Off The Kerb until Thursday March 13.

PICK OF THE WEEK

In commemoration of International Women’s
Day this Saturday, La Mama Theatre is presenting
two works, La Medea and Lo Stupro, from Italian
writer/performer France Rame (1929–2013).
Starring Margherita Peluso, La Medea is a solo
reworking of the classic Greek Myth, which
explores liberation, exploitation and vengeance
through Euripides’ story of love, betrayal and
revenge. Lo Stupro (I don’t move, I don’t scream…
my voice is gone) is an autobiographical monologue
of Rame’s rape experience; something that will
break hearts every night. La Medea, presented
with Lo Stupro, is currently being performed at
La Mama Theatre until Sunday March 9.

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 18

RISE OF THE
ECO-WARRIORS
By Tegan Jones
15 passionate and adventurous young people leave their ordinary lives behind to
spend 100 days in the jungles of Borneo. Their mission: to rescue the rainforests and
endangered orangutans from destruction.
Rise of the Eco-Warriors is the latest project of
documentary filmmaker Cathy Henkel. It’s a
follow-up to her 2008 IF-award winning film, The
Burning Season, which dealt with saving rainforests
through the carbon trading mechanism. The venture
originated from online polls completed by school
children who, when asked what they would do to
save the world, overwhelmingly responded with
‘stop deforestation’.

FILM REVIEW:
WOLF CREEK 2

By Travis Johnson
½
It’s taken almost a decade since his first appearance, but we’re
now seeing a concerted effort from co-writer/director to
elevate outback serial killer Mick Taylor ( John Jarratt) from
chilling once-off menace to genuine, Freddy/Jason-level
horror icon. 2014 sees not only the release of Wolf Creek 2,
but also a couple of prequel novels that flesh out the backstory of the affably evil ocker assassin. Judging by the former,
though, there may not be too much more to tell.
Wolf Creek 2 is essentially Wolf Creek Again. Once more a
trio of hapless backpackers are menaced by Taylor and once
again constitutions are tested by an impressive amount of
bodily mutilation and torture. This time around, the victims
du jour are a pair of German backpackers (Shannon Ashlyn

Subsequently, the poll creators, Microsoft Partners
in Learning, contacted Henkel and asked her for
ideas that students could engage with. The result was
DeforestACTION, a campaign that would involve
travelling to Borneo to implement deforestation
solutions and allow children to monitor the action
from their classrooms. An international call for the
volunteers was placed, and the result was the 15
amazing human beings who would become the arse-

and Phillipe Klaus) and a remarkably unlucky English
tourist(Ryan Corr) who becomes the object of a gruelling cat
and mouse game with Taylor that takes up most of the film’s
running time.
Anyone who saw the first film has a fair idea of the tenor of
the terror here, so claims of shock and outrage at the violence
and sadism on display are misguided; simply put, you know
what you’re in for from the get-go. Indeed, the key problem
with Wolf Creek 2 is that it’s all a bit too familiar. This time
around Taylor is a lot more garrulous, with Jarratt really
playing up the character’s ockerism, and McLean clearly
has a bigger budget to play with, but the film’s overall shape
and intent are identical to the first outing. We don’t get any
real insight into Taylor’s background and motives and, a few
more corpses littering the desert aside, nothing has changed
between the end of Creek 1 and the end of Creek 2.
Still, McLean is an assured director who both knows how
to build tension and isn’t too proud to go for an effective

WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES... BEAT.COM.AU/TV

kicking Eco-Warriors.
Despite possessing an abundance of knowledge on
the palm oil trade in Borneo, the filmmaker admits
that none of it prepared her, or the Eco-Warriors,
for the reality of what was waiting for them. “We
all went into a kind of shock faze when we saw just
how rampant it is, and how much disregard there
is for the law, because most of what’s happening is
illegal.”
The film also depicts how the local population is
profoundly affected by the illegal deforestation. As
the Eco-Warriors discovered, the bulldozers were
invading the outskirts of the small villages of the
Dayak people who rely on the forest for their food,
medicine, and the sugar palm that powers their
generators. Henkel explains that the villagers begged
the team to help them, to speak on their behalf, and
to tell the world.
Help them they did, as the Eco-Warriors forfeited
their creature comforts for a bed consisting of floor
and a mosquito net, treacherous roads, and sinking
longboats. “One of our boys nearly drowned in a
surging river after a big flood”, recounts the director
before also describing how everyone, except for
herself, became sick during their time there. But
despite the team’s rollercoaster ride of emotions and
physical hardships, they never gave up their fight for
the rainforest.
One of the biggest achievements of the Eco-Warriors
was building a rescue centre for orangutans who were
victims of deforestation. Jojo, the most prominent in
the film, is a baby orangutan that captured the hearts
and minds of the team. This rescue initiative was lead
by Dr. Willie Smits, who is responsible for aiding
hundreds of orangutans himself. He chose the site
because there was no rescue centre in the region and
the orangutans were living in horrendous conditions.
Despite working with limited resources and beyond
their levels of skill and expertise, the eco-warriors
managed to build and set up the centre. Henkel
has reported that fifteen new orangutans now call it
home and are doing well
There’s no doubt that Rise of the Eco-Warriors is a
confronting documentary film, but in a positive way.
The film is about educating people and motivating
them to do something. Henkel has said that she
hopes that audiences will exit the cinema asking
what they can do to help. This message in particular
rings loud and clear, “Every action counts. Every
individual does matter.” Henkel has also stated that
this won’t be her last venture into the rainforest. “I
don’t think I’m done with this topic. I don’t want to
stop until there’s a better system in place.”
Rise of the Eco-Warriors opens on Thursday
March 13. There will also be a Q&A session with
producer/director Cathy Henkel at Palace Como
Cinema on Friday March 21.

jump scare now and again. He also knows and acknowledges
his genre history; there’s a narrative bait and switch that’s
straight out of Hitchcock, plus an extended sequence where
Taylor pursues his victim in a truck that can’t help but bring
Spielberg’s Duel to mind.
That sequence is also the best example of the film’s jetblack streak of gallows humour, as Jarratt’s iconic killer
ploughs his truck through a large group of another iconic
Australian animal, the kangaroo. It’s McLean’s glee at
subverting Australian archetypes that really saves both this
film and its predecessor – after all, what is Mick Taylor but a
human-hunting Crocodile Dundee? However, if we’re going
to get more of this character, any further instalments need
to do more than just tread water. While enjoyable enough
on its own base and brutal terms, Wolf Creek 2 feels like a
placeholder. Wolf Creek 3, if it ever comes into existence,
needs to give us something new.
Wolf Creek 2 is in cinemas now.

January – July 2014

Arts House

Festival of Live Art
Arts House
North Melbourne Town Hall, Meat Market
and Warehouse
Thu 20 – Sun 23 March

Arts House will erupt into a giant four-day live art experience,
animating every space with over 25 projects including
one-on-one encounters, durational works, music performances,
club nights, a sleepover and general good times!
Most events are FREE, with some ticketed performances.
Drop by anytime, catch a show, grab a drink and experience
FOLA!

Belinda Wiltshire has announced her first solo
exhibition in over three years, We Are Stardust, will
open this March. Using only layers of cyan, magenta,
yellow and black to create portraits and still lifes in oil,
Wiltshire is paying homage to the elements that forge
us all (and our potted plants). We Are Stardust open at
Tinning Street, Brunswick on Thursday March 13.

THE ITALIAN MASTERPIECES
FROM SPAIN’S ROYAL COURT

EMPIRE

Due to popular demand, Spiegelworld has revealed that it’s exhilarating new show Empire will extend its 2014
Melbourne season by three weeks. Smashing the boundaries of circus, cabaret, vaudeville and burlesque, Empire
has proven to be a top draw, selling out last year’s season and forcing organisers to extend its 2014 run. The
show takes place in Spiegelworld’s 700-seat antique spiegeltent. Empire will run from Tuesday March 11 to
Sunday April 20 under the Spiegeltent on the Rooftop at Crown. More information and bookings are available
from Ticketek.

A JOURNEY THROUGH JAZZ

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will pay tribute
to jazz greats when it performs A Journey Through
Jazz: From Louis Armstrong to Herbie Hancock. The
first instalment in the orchestra’s 2014 Pops Series,
the show will feature Australian instrumentalist James
Morrison on an astounding 10 instruments as he plays
with the MSO to showcase music from the 1920s
to the 1970s and everything in between. A Journey
Through Jazz will be performed on Saturday March 8
and Sunday March 9.

WHO YOU ARE

La Mama are presenting a new Nick Backstrom
play, Who You Are, opening next month. The play is
based on the incredible true story of the Tichborne
claimant and explores identity, family, the fragility
of memory, and a time when Australia was a land
of transformation. It is written by Nick Backstrom,
directed by Douglas Montgomery and performed by
Nick Backstrom, Liza Dennis, Antony Okill, Chris
Palframan and Felicity Steel. Who You Are opens at La
Mama Theatre on Wednesday March 19.

The National Gallery of Victoria has announced that
they will be exhibiting the finest collection of Italian
Masterpieces ever to come to Australia this May. This
Melbourne exclusive exhibition has been drawn from
one of the world’s most celebrated collections, Museo
del Prado in Madrid, and will showcase over 100 works
comprising 70 paintings and more than 30 drawings
– the largest number of Italian works the Museo del
Prado has ever loaned to one exhibition. It features
some of the most outstanding works from masters
such as Raphael, Titian and Tiepolo and represents
a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Australia to see
some of the most extraordinary Italian works produced
during the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. Italian
Masterpieces from Spain’s Royal Court exhibition opens
at the National Gallery of Victoria on Friday May 16.

POLYGLOT THEATRE CALL OUT

Polyglot Theatre is calling out to kids to respond to
weekly questions on the topic of theatre, in the lead
up to World Day of Theatre for Children on Thursday
March 20. Beginning this week kids and parents
can get online together (on Polygot’s Facebook,
Youtube, Twitter or polyglot.org.au) and respond
to weekly questions posed by Polyglot, to celebrate
the perspectives of children in the world of theatre.
Responses from children can be to take a picture,
make a video, draw or audio record answers to each
weekly question. Contributions will be collected and
put together into a summary video, to be presented at
the ASSITEJ (Association Internationale du Theatre
de l’Enfance et la Jeunesse) World Conference in May.
The final two questions will be released on Thursday
March 6 and Thursday March 13.

GOLD BLOOD

WAR GOD: NIGHT OF THE WITCH – GRAHAM
HANCOCK ($24.95)
This is the epic story of the clash of two empires, two armies
and two gods of war. Five hundred desperate adventurers are
about to pit themselves against the most brutal armies of
the ancient Americas, armies hundreds of thousands strong.
Dark powers that work behind the scenes of history show
their hand as the prophecy of the return of Quetzalcoatl is
fulﬁlled with the arrival of Cortes. The Aztec ruler Moctezuma
ﬁghts to maintain the demands of the war god Huitzilopochtli for human sacriﬁce.
The Spanish Inquisition is planning an even greater blood-letting. Yet, in the midst
of the brutal and bloody battles, deep friendship and love survive through the
massacres.

CABINET OF CURIOSITIES – GUILLERMO DEL
TORO ($64.95)
Over the last two decades, writer-director Guillermo del Toro
has mapped out a territory in the popular imagination that
is uniquely his own, astonishing audiences with Cronos,
Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, and a host of other ﬁlms and
creative endeavours. Now, for the ﬁrst time, del Toro reveals
the inspirations behind his signature artistic motifs, sharing
the contents of his personal notebooks, collections, and
other obsessions. The result is a startling, intimate glimpse into the life and mind
of one of the world’s most creative visionaries. Complete with running commentary,
interview text, and annotations that contextualize the ample visual material, this
deluxe compendium is every bit as inspired as del Toro is himself. Contains a
foreword by James Cameron, an afterword by Tom Cruise, and contributions from
other luminaries, including Neil Gaiman and John Landis, among others.

THE CANNABIS COOKBOOK – TIM PILCHER
($9.95)
This innovative cookbook brings a remarkable design to
the joy of cooking and baking with cannabis. Featuring
stimulating recipes and lush colour photography, it
approaches cannabis as yet another ﬁne ingredient to be
studied and savoured, like a great wine, premium cigar,
gourmet chocolate, or single malt scotch. The Cannabis
Cookbook divulges all you need to know to culinarily enjoy the
herb that’s used by over 25 million Americans. It includes the history of cannabis
in cooking, biochemical properties and effects, the best vineyards, and over 35
step-by-step recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, baked goods, and other
essentials. The recipes and treats presented in this book are so delicious that
nothing will get wasted. Well, almost nothing. * Includes bonus section on hemp
skincare products.

CHAPEL OF GORE AND PSYCHOSIS – JACK
HUNTER ($32.95)
The Grand Guignol Theatre in Paris, founded by Oscar Metenier
in 1897, soon became world-renowned for staging wild
and bizarre spectacles of madness, mutilation, horror and
death. The theatre’s dark prince was Andr de Lorde, whose
gore-drenched psychodramas of medical and surgical horror
included A Crime In The Madhouse, The Horrible Experiment,
and The System Of Dr. Goudron and Pr. Plume. CHAPEL OF
GORE & PSYCHOSIS charts the entire history of the Grand Guignol, from its inception
to its closure in 1962. It references and describes dozens of stage productions, and
also contains a whole section on ﬁlms which were either based on, or inspired by,
the Grand Guignol and its works. The book is illustrated throughout with over 70
photographs and illustrations, and includes a stunning 16-page full colour section
that features vintage poster art by the artist Adrien Barr, amongst others.

Backwoods Gallery are set to host Gold Blood, the
third and final gathering of the Magic Weirdos, an
international group of acclaimed artists, illustrators
and cartoonists opening this March. Curated by
Melbourne’s Sean Morris, the Magic Weirdos
represent an eclectic collection of world builders,
divided by their unique styles and visions but united by
the honesty and humanity found in their work. The 25
artists include figures such as Ghostpatrol, kozyndan,
Brendan Monroe and James Jirat Patradoon and
represent some of the world’s best young illustrators
and cartoonists. Magic Weirdos will be opening at
Backwoods Gallery on Friday March 7.

Michael ‘Merle Dixon’ Rooker

SUPANOVA

Pop Culture Expo Supanova have unveiled more
guests to their already extensive bill. Joining Lucy
Lawless (Xena: The Warrior Princess, Spartacus) and
Tom Lenk (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel) for
the east coast tour will be The Walking Dead star
Michael ‘Merle Dixon’ Rooker, who portrays Yondu
in upcoming Marvel movie Guardians of the Galaxy,
Emmanuelle ‘Dr Helen Bryce’ Vaugier (Smallville,
Human Target, Lost Girl), who will be replacing Lost
Girl co-star Rachael Skarsten, Joss Whedon simpatico
Ron ‘Shepherd Book’ Glass (Firefly, Serenity, Marvel’s
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), and two The Hobbit dwarves
called Mark ‘Dori’ Hadlow and William ‘Bifur’
Kircher. Among other news, Gethin Anthony (Game
of Thrones) has postponed his expo appearance due to
being cast in a season of Tennessee Williams’ short
plays in London. Supanova Pop Culture Expo will
run from Saturday April 12 – Sunday April 13 at
Melbourne Showgrounds.

PATYEGARANG

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2014, Australia’s
multi-award winning dance theatre company Bangarra
Dance Theatre will tell the story of Patyegarang in
Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Perth and Brisbane
beginning this June. This powerful and historically
important new work acquaints us with Patyegarang,
a young Aboriginal woman of intense and enduring
courage, and an inspiration today for the respect of
Aboriginal knowledge and language. As the colonial
fleet arrived on Eora country in the late 18th century,
Patyegarang befriended Lieutenant William Dawes,
gifting him her language in an extraordinary display
of trust and friendship, which now inspires our
imaginations about ‘first contact’. This deeply moving
production is told through the acclaimed creativity
of Stephen Page’s choreography and David Page’s
soundscape, in a powerful and meaningful dance
theatre experience. Patyegarang opens at The Arts
Centre on Thursday August 28.

HELMUT NEWTON: THE STERN YEARS – HELMUT
NEWTON ($59.95)
A master of eroticism’s dark potential, Helmut Newton
redeﬁned fashion photography in the 1950s and 60s—and
perhaps even modern sexuality. Newton’s inﬂuence has grown
to be monumental in scope and impact. Photographing for
magazines like Playboy and Vogue, Newton was provocative, to
say the least, in his portrayals of stylized erotic scenes, often
featuring sado-maschostic undertones. This new monograph
of Newton’s work showcases the landmark photographs that were a product of a
close collaboration between Newton and stern magazine. Spanning 27 years and
featuring photographs that have never before been reproduced in book format, this
book reﬂects Newton’s diverse talent and exuberant spirit.

WILD AT HEART – MISS VAN ($44.95)
In its own contemporary way, the art of Miss Van traces the
taste of a metaphorical dance with female nudes reminiscent
those painted by the likes of Klimt, Frida Kahlo and Lempicka.
Moods and modern costumes are given a place of honour as
soft bodies entwine and the ﬁerce, burning character of a
wild animal alter ego rears its head. Always ﬂeeing from the
dictates of Street Art despite being its appointed luminary,
Miss Van continues to bring us her unique and unbridled
vision, shaping the iconography of the modern femme fatale. In her own inimitable
style, she is once again both the romantic tamer and sassy ballerina of the surreal
circus that is the art of our times.

GRAPHIC THRILLS: AMERICAN XXX MOVIE
POSTERS 1970-1985 – ROBIN BOUGIE ($39.95)
With catchy titles like Carnal Olympics, Ultra Flesh, Insatiable,
Deep Throat, and Dominatrix Without Mercy, the 1970s and
early ‘80s were the golden era of the American hardcore sex
ﬁlm. Picking up where the low-budget stag loops and softcore
sexploitation pictures left off, this legendary cycle of adult
ﬁlmmaking was distinguished by both the overall quality of the
movies themselves and also the advertising that promoted them.
Real movies made by directors with a vision, performed by passionate actors, backed
up with genuine plots, drama, and imagination that hit peaks the industry hasn’t seen
before or since. This was the age of porno chic. This ﬁrst volume of Graphic Thrills
proudly assembles 140 of these debauched and innuendo-packed one-sheets between
its covers, with glorious unabashed sexuality dripping from every page.

CIRCUS OZ

Circus Oz has moved to a new home on part of the former Collingwood TAFE site and are inviting the public to
take a look. Two years in construction, the new building which was purpose-built for Circus Oz by the Victorian
Government, features two rehearsal spaces that allows the Circus Oz artistic team to create and develop new shows
under performance-like conditions and also enables Circus Oz to expand their public and community classes,
programs and activities. The house warming event includes free tours of the building, free juggling, hula or circus
skill workshops and the rare opportunity to see the Circus Oz ensemble rehearse and develop their skills. Later
this year, Circus Oz are scheduled to set up their spectacular 100-year old Melba Spiegeltent at the Collingwood
site, which will run as a live venue space for emerging and cutting edge artists and support the development of
contemporary circus, including showcasing Circus Oz’s initiatives and programs. Catch the Circus Oz ensemble at
work in their new home at 50 Perry Street, Collingwood on Saturday March 29 between 11am and 4pm.

Mondays at Spleen are more packed than ever (and
that’s pretty damned packed). This Monday, they’ve got
all sorts of special guests, plus Steele Saunders, Jennifer
Wong, Toby Halligan, James Masters and heaps more.
It’s this Monday March 10, 41 Bourke St, in the city at
8.30pm. It may be free, but they appreciate a good gold
coin donation at the door.

JEFF DUNHAM

FUNNY TONNE

Comedy’s ultimate endurance test is back in 2014. Just who will make their name as the next Mo Farah of the
Melbourne Comedy Festival and take home the Funny Tonne title? Each year, the Comedy Festival challenges
three comedy crazies to push themselves to their laughter limits in a race to see the most shows in the Festival
as humanly possible and win the Funny Tonne competition. Applicants must demonstrate sheer determination,
enthusiasm and a load of laughter in their lungs before being selected to compete. With a special comedy passport
in hand, the chosen festival fanatics will get to work on a gruelling schedule that will defy human logic, using their
own tactics, weapons and skills to survive. Each competitor will review every show they see to be posted on the
festival’s website daily throughout. 2013 saw Beat’s very own Nick Taras become the poster boy for ‘comedy nut’
after seeing a record-breaking 147 shows across 26 days.To enter, comedy-lovers can go to comedyfestival.com.
au. Once selected, Funny-Tonne participants are set free to seek their comedy fate. The winner will be announced
during the 17th Annual Comedy Festival Awards on Saturday 19 April.

LOL COMEDY

This Wednesday March 5 at the Portland Hotel and
Thursday March 6 at the College Lawn, LOL have
the majestical musical comedy mayhem of Elbowskin.
They love beer, and funny and songs. It’s in a pub.
Perfect fit, right? No gig at the Hawthorn this week,
but on Tuesday March 11 at the Local in Port
Melbourne LOL brings you Dave Callan. You may’ve
heard him on triple j. Or seen him on the telly. He’s got
a beard and dances a fair bit. It’s ace.

FIVE BOROUGHS COMEDY

Josh Earl (the new host of Spicks and Specks) headlines
Five Boroughs Comedy for the first time this Thursday.
If you’re a fan of the ABC quiz show, here’s your first
chance to see him since the show has returned. Plus
there’s an almighty lineup including Harley Breen, John
Conway, Greg Larsen and some special guests. It’s all
happening this Thursday March 6 at 8.30pm, at Five
Boroughs Comedy, 68 Hardware Lane (upstairs), city,
all for only $12.

MIKE EPPS

Veteran stand up comedian Mike Epps will be heading
to Australia for the first time this May. Epps has steadily
climbed his way up the stand up comedy ranks since
1995. After appearing on the US Def Comedy Jam tour
and HBO’s TV’s Def Comedy Jam, Epps gained national
recognition and subsequently caught the attention of
Ice Cube in 2000 at the LA Comedy Store. Since that
time he has starred in over 30 feature films and won a
NAACP Image Award for his role in the Sony Pictures
film, Jumping the Broom. Mike Epps will take over The
Athenaeum Theatre on Thursday May 22.

CRAB LAB

Barry award nominee John Conway MCs another
huge night of comedy tonight at Crab Lab. The lineup
includes RAW winner Jonathan Schuster, Corey
White all the way from Brisbane and a massive special
guest that you’ll recognise if you’ve ever enjoyed a
television show. Doors at 7.30 for an 8.30 start. Just $5.

Jeff Dunham will bring the funny to Melbourne
when his Disorderly Conduct show hits our shores this
May. Largely considered the most popular comedian
in America, Dunham’s television specials have been
the highest rated programming in Comedy Central
history, his DVD sales have soared to seven million
units and his videos have received a half a billion views
on YouTube. The comedian’s stitch-inducing Disorderly
Conduct show calls on his entourage of signature
characters, including Walter, Bubba J and more to
challenge and chastise his every word. Jeff Dunham
will play Rod Laver Arena on Friday May 16.

PUBLIC BAR COMEDY

The A1 lineups keep coming tonight at the Public Bar
with another loaded show headed up by Celia Pacquola.
Celia always kills it in the intimate Public Bar backroom
and when you add in Michael Chamberlin, Geraldine
Hickey, Greg Larson, Hammertime and maybe a
special guest, it will be a show you’ll feel guilty only
paying $5 for. Miss Katie’s Crab Shack is open before
the show in the front bar and is beyond delicious. Tuck
in. Come down and join one of the most appreciative
audiences in Australia as Melbourne’s finest comedians
let loose in the intimate Public Bar back room.

‘ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT’RIP IT UP
‘DISTURBING & DISTRESSING’THE AGE
‘THE FUTURE OF COMEDY’THE SCOTSMAN

DVD ON
SALE SOON!

OVER 1,200,000 FOLLOWERS ONLINE

INSTAGRAM.COM/SHOOTERWILLIAMSON

ATHENAEUM THEATRE
25 – 29 MARCH 10PM
Full info and tickets - comedyfestival.com.au
CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 21

METRONOMY
By Alasdair Duncan

The ever-eccentric Metronomy looked to the past for their new record – all the way back
to the ‘60s. Love Letters was made at London’s legendary Toe Rag Studios, an analogue
recording facility decked out with vintage gear from the period. Main man Joe Mount
says he wanted to put Metronomy in a completely different context, to see how he’d get
on making a record without any modern frills or recording techniques.
“Toe Rag has the kind of gear that would have been
top of the range back in the ‘60s,” Mount explains. “It’s
like working in the best possible studio from that era,
the kind of place where The Beach Boys or The Beatles
might have made records. Because it’s so wilfully stuck
in the past, it has a very different atmosphere from the
kinds of studios I’m used to working in.”
While based in Metronomy’s usual minimalist style,
Love Letters has a warm and welcoming sound, which
is partly the result of recording in an old-fashioned
setting. “There are a lot of very striking bits of gear at
Toe Rag,” Mount says. “One of the most interesting is
a mixing desk they have, which was apparently built
for Abbey Road, and it doesn’t look like any mixing
desk you’ve ever seen before. It looks more like a
Russian tank or something. It doesn’t have any of the
conventions of a modern bit of gear – it doesn’t even
have a volume knob that goes from zero to ten.”
Contemporary recording studios, Mount says, can
feel a bit like modern offices. Toe Rag, by contrast,
has the feeling of a mad scientist’s laboratory, which
naturally made the band feel more free to experiment.
Metronomy’s last record, the greatly acclaimed The

English Riviera, told a story of love gone wrong in an
English coastal town. I ask Mount if Love Letters has
a similar concept behind it, but he tells me that he
is determined not to think of this record in that way.
“The last one was a bit of a concept record, but after
it came out, I found myself talking about that so
much that the whole concept just started falling apart
around me!” he says with a laugh. “This time around,
I just wrote a lot of songs and whittled them down
to the best ones. I mean, when you’re writing music,
intentionally or not, there are going to be certain
themes and ideas in your head. These songs were
written in-between a lot of touring, so I was missing a
lot of people and things. That may be the thread that
connects them, but this definitely is not a concept
album.”
Speaking of touring, Metronomy have an awful lot
of tour dates coming up in support of Love Letters,
more than the band have ever played before. It’s a
simultaneously exciting and daunting prospect.
“In the early days, I’d live for the moment when we
had enough dates that we could write them down and
they’d look like the back of a t-shirt,” Mount says.

“That’s in a real contrast to now, when I almost can’t
bring myself to look at them all, because I know we’re
going on tour for a long time. The thing is, it’s always
great. The daunting part is leaving all our significant
others behind and going on the road, but the actual
experience of going away and playing is great. People
are coming to our gigs, and it might be the one thing
they do that week, so you start to feel like you’re
playing a part in their lives, and you want to make it as

enjoyable as possible.”
The one question remaining is whether or not
Metronomy will make it back to Australia in this next
round of dates. “Oh, we definitely will,” Mount assures
me. “I don’t think it’s been announced yet, but I know
when we’re coming, so don’t worry, we’ll be there soon.”

He puts it down to failing and making mistakes.
“I hate a lot of electronic music. Most of the time it’s
because people are using the same technology in the
exact same way as everyone else. The ease of creation
has made people lazy and you lose the reality in your
music, and then it doesn’t sound like anything worth
hearing. I like to hear the imperfections and mistakes
in music. It shows that it’s real and I can associate with
that. I’ve made mistakes with my music, but it means
that there is something to improve about it. I suppose

the lesson is to find something organic in your music,
something that makes it alive and imperfect, like we
all are.”

METRONOMY’s Love Letters is set for release this
Friday March 7 via Because Music.

GOLD PANDA
By Daniel Prior

When Derwin Schlecker (aka Gold Panda) first started making waves with a volley of
single releases, it sent him on a worldwide journey. After the release of his 2010 album
Lucky Shiner, Derwin was on top of the world. But success brings its own pitfalls.
“I was terrified of doing a second album. I got over it by
working out whether it would sound the same as Lucky
Shiner. It sounds slightly different, I mean, it wasn’t a
huge shift, but they are distinct from one another. I
spent less time on arrangement [with Half of Where You
Live], there was a lot more spontaneity, like I would do
at a live gig. I listened to it the first time a few days ago
and there were like seven out of ten tracks I listened to
without cringing or thinking I could have done that
better. The next album I’m aiming for ten out of ten.”
When Half of Where You Live was released to the
world in 2013, Derwin had been travelling extensively,
and the worldview he gained from this experience
took a firm hold on both Derwin and the music of
Gold Panda.
“I think the biggest thing I learnt was the difference
between reality and how things are reported. The best
example comes from when I was touring in São Paulo.
People were all saying, ‘Ohh, I’ve heard São Paulo is
dangerous. Be careful, you’ve really gotta watch out
when you’re there!’ But I walked around the city in
between gigs and it was fine. People were laughing,
having a good time and I never felt like I was in any
danger. What I have seen is that the world is good and,

against what the news will say, people are friendly and
not the evil monsters they’re made out to be. I wanted
to capture that in the album. Exploration is the only
real way to find out about a place.”
To be in the incredibly privileged position of travelling
the world and playing music to thousands of people
isn’t something that is lost on Derwin, and his success
is something he speaks of with modesty.
“I’ve managed to sustain a career by putting
Soundclouds together, and for some reason people
seem to like it. I don’t know how long that can last.
People are encouraging, which is a nice thing, but I feel
guilty about what I’m doing sometimes. I make music
for myself and then I put it out there to see if people
also like it. But then I’ll do a show, meet some people
who’ll tell me that they get a lot of enjoyment from
what I’m doing, and that makes me feel really good.
“I do want Gold Panda to evolve and grow, though. I
want to release music in new ways and explore what
Gold Panda can be. I’m happy to do something new,
and for people not to get it, and then do the opposite
right after. I want to be selfish, and I feel that I’ve
found the perfect way to do it.”
But Derwin doesn’t just put his success down to luck.

GOLD PANDA play the Corner Hotel on
Friday March 7. They also play alongside Charles
Bradley, Cut Copy, Neko Case and more at Golden
Plains, which runs at the Meredith Supernatural
Amphitheatre from Saturday March 8 to Monday
March 10.

FIVE FUN FACTS with
LOS CORONAS
1. They didn’t get it. The early years were the
tricky years – in Spain there was a big tradition
of instrumental music during the mid sixties, but
because of the British pop invasion, it disappeared
a short time later. Los Coronas came out in 1991,
there weren´t other instrumental bands in Spain
and just a few in Europe, so Spanish people weren’t
ready – it was too soon for them. For the first 300
Los Coronas shows people would yell out ‘where
the fuck is the singer?!” Thanks to Pulp Fiction’s
premiere, things turned out better the following
years.

singer from the Spanish band Depedro, and Eilen
Jewell, the country-folk vocalist from Idaho, USA.
Los Coronas have called this experience ‘el extraño
viaje’, which means ‘the weird travel’.

2. Enter vocals here. We bit the bullet, probably
because we were traumatized by all the bottles
getting thrown at us onstage. We recorded and
performed two covers in Spanish with two different
singers, one male and one female: Jairo Zavala, the

4. Show me the money, fools. In 2009 Little
Steven tried to sign the band to his label Wicked
Cool basically with two kinds of arguments: the
mildly strong and the extremely strong arguments.
Actually, he was always talking about only

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 22

3. You gotta check this out, we love it! Last
year Los Coronas recorded a cover of Astor
Piazzolla’s hit Libertango with the great latin jazz
pianist Michel Camilo during a Spanish live TV
broadcasting. There’s really magic in Camilo’s
fingers, only for that reason is it worth seeing the
program. Check it out!

one thing: money. After several months of long
negotiation, Los Coronas probably made the wrong
decision: “So long Tony, no deal, that’s what we’re
talking about.”

second time Down Under and during our first visit,
we took a surf but didn’t manage to stay on the
board for more than ten seconds, so this time we’re
taking surf lessons.

5. Faking it. Nope, we’re not a flamenco band,
but a surf music instrumental band, except that
the closest shore is a four hour drive from our
hometown. We’re actually fake surfers! This is our

LOS CORONAS play the Caravan Music Club
on Wednesday March 12, as well as Golden Plains
this Sunday March 9.

DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

CARL COX
words / denver maxx

Carl Cox is arguably one of the most respected DJs in the world.
He’s been DJing for 36 years and is fully booked for the European
summer that sees him take in sets at Ibiza as well as Europe’s
most famous outdoor dance festival, Belgium’s Tomorrowland –
where he has his own stage named Carl Cox and Friends. Before
he jets off for the European Summer, Cox is playing an exclusive
club gig at Trak Live Lounge Bar this Friday March 7. And why is
Melbourne so lucky to get this world class DJ for an intimate club
show? Because Cox lives in Frankston on Oliver’s Hill during the
European winter (our summer) and each year for the past five
years he has performed a Melbourne club show before he heads
back to Europe.
“The last time I played Trak was two years ago and I loved it. I love
the venue and I love the crowd because they get what I am trying to
do. I play music you can’t get on Beatport and it’s very hard to track
down – it’s purely what I have collected over the last few months
so I can play brand new hot shit records that you won’t hear unless
you go to Ibiza. I love to see a crowd rock out to music they haven’t
heard before!” states Cox, openly talking-up the show. He discloses
that this three hour set won’t be for the faint hearted. “Secondly I am
on holidays here and this is the only club show I am doing before I
go into full on work mode so my energy levels are very strong. So

watch out you guys because you’re going to get plastered to the
wall!” exclaims Cox, addressing his future audience directly. At this
show Cox revealed he will also be debuting the production fruits of
a recording session he did with Nile Rogers in Langwarrin when
Rogers was here for Meredith Music Festival – but more about this
later.
The beauty of Carl Cox is that while peddling audio entertainment
he takes his work very seriously, refusing to ever stop challenging
audiences by taking the educative roll of a DJ very seriously. Cox
now takes on the very difficult question, ‘What does he think as
allowed him to remain relevant in the ever changing sonic aesthetic
of EDM?’
“It’s really difficult to answer this question because I am an
individual person that has made it through the ranks by just loving
music. However, unfortunately EDM is now understood as a form
of music that can bring 50,000 people together by a DJ playing
music on a laptop that is already pre-recorded, that’s what’s going
on. You got a 17-19 year old kid who has downloaded the 20-30
most popular tracks from Beatport, put it together on Ableton or
Serato, he pushes play and has then got his hands up in the air
in time with popular music. Therefore everyone in front of him
thinks that he is amazing, therefore it’s understood as a form of

entertainment,” vents Cox. He now relates this point back to his
longevity in the scene. “If I did that, myself right now, I would get
no respect because there is no art-form to what is happening via
that process. It has happened because technology has allowed
it to happen. But where I came from and where I started I had
to create an art-form of what a DJ is about: an entertainer first,
someone who has a passion for what they are doing and they
love what they’re doing based on that they are sharing something
that they love,” concludes Cox on the art-form of DJing.
As mentioned in the introduction, in December this year Cox
worked with soul and disco maestro Nile Rogers when he was
here for Meredith. “I had the opportunity to have pop and dance
royalty in Langwarren in a small studio in a back garden of a guy
called Steve Ward’s home/studio. I had Nile Rogers sitting there
playing his guitar in front of me and I am just like ‘that’s what I am
talking about!’. He plays with pure passion - a belief in what he
is doing. For me to able to sit there with someone whose records
I used to buy and all of a sudden 30 years later he’s sitting on a
couch in Langwarrin doing the exactly same thing, those riffs that
formed some of the seminal dance tracks.”
“People forget about where it all came from - the idea of what
it’s actually all about is getting so lost that we forget the organic-

electronic - urban - club life

ness of the dance sound actually came from people who could
actually create magic with an instrument. He just sat there and
was playing on the guitar he had written all those incredible hits
on just throwing together what felt right. Everyone in the room
was just sitting there with their mouth dropped just thinking all
we’re seeing is raw talent, nothing more, the guys just has it. He
wasn’t even looking at the fret board - it was ridiculous.”
Cox now reveals that at the Trak show he will be playing one
of the tracks that was written that day with Rogers. “You will
definitely hear the one that we did with a techno track with his
solo – it was difficult to lay down over a beat because he is so
musical but it’s very cool and if I drop it at the right time – probably
at the end of the night got such a beautiful soul and energy that
it will blow people’s minds. The song isn’t available anywhere yet
and title wise we just call it Solo Heaven.”

Carl Cox is playing a three hour set at Trak Live Lounge
Bar this Friday March 7.

When is it? Sunday March 9.
Where is it? Chasers Nightclub.
Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playing? Michelle Owen, Fantastic Man (Mic Newman),
Mishâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Chief and Rustar.
What sort of shit will they be playing? Deep house, tech house,
techno.
Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the crowd going to be like? The guys are gonna be up to
their nuts in guts and the girls knickers will melt.
What will we remember in the AM? How to hail a cab whilst still
dancing.
Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the wallet damage? $15 online at Resident Advisor or $20
at the door.
Give us one final reason why we should party here. If sounds
ranging from deep warm and wobbling basslines with smooth
organic synths to driving and quirky tech tickles your ear buds, then
Press Play!

Catch Dannic at Future Music Festival which goes down on
Sunday March 9 at the Flemington Racecourse.

Friday April 4, TBA

Upstairs

Fri 14 mar

Bursting onto the scene barely 10 years ago, it feels as if heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been
a stalwart for a lot longer. His driving style â&#x20AC;&#x201C; progressive and funky,
is partly explained by his take on the Dutch sound popularised by
local hometown heroes Tiesto and Hardwell.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;About 10 years ago there was a really popular techno movement
in Amsterdam, the bigger clubs were evolving and a lot of smaller
clubs came about. As a result of that, a lot of other genres grew and
gained popularity,â&#x20AC;? he explains.
Proudly, he also accepts that a lot of quality artists and production
is coming from the Netherlands. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It should be exciting, because it
is a great time for music right now. I have a different sound to say
DJ Chuckie or Hardwell or Afrojack. We are all Dutch but defining
us together is difficult â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more about being an individual.â&#x20AC;?
The Dutchman is celebrating his forthcoming gig to Australia and the
associated party that will go with it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is my first time down there,â&#x20AC;?
he chimes. No less, it will be a good opportunity for him to get away
from the cold of the northern winter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The gigs will be great. I have
a few edits Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m working on and things like that. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m looking forward
to it.â&#x20AC;?

MOSCA [UK]

Sat 8 mar

HIP HOP/RNB/TRAP
WITH REQUE AND
FRIENDS 9 - 2
&NAA%JPNU

Mic Newman

HUNEE [GER]

Downstairs

Downstairs

party proďŹ le: press play
presents replay

Friday March 21, Brown Alley

&NAA%JPNU

&NAA%JPNU

Dannic aka Daan Romers, the Dutch DJ and producing maestro
from Breda in the Netherlands (hometown of Tiesto and Funkerman
among others) won attention early on with his cheeky edits and
remixes. Dannicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bootlegs of Axwell Vs Julie McKnight How Soon
Is Glory and Tim Mason & Laidback Luke Vs. Adele The Moment Is
Rolling In Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Air, made people take notice.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I started in music about 10 years ago as a DJ in my hometown of
Breda,â&#x20AC;? Romers begins. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The bar I worked at played all genres from
the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s; I did weddings and things. Things really started
when I moved into house music. Around that time, there was a new
club opening in the city and DJs were playing what I called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;real
music!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I was asked to play there and started doing edits and tracks,
producing music, that sort of thing.â&#x20AC;?
Musically, his prodigious output has earned him the respect of fans
and compatriots alike, but even by his own admission, he still has
a way to go. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am focusing on tracks and while I want to do one
eventually, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m definitely not thinking about an album right nowâ&#x20AC;Ś
Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been working pretty extensively in the studio and am finishing
a few demos with artists I met recently at ADE (Amsterdam Dance
Event).â&#x20AC;?
To that end, look out for a collaboration with Merc as well as
something on Nicky Romeroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imprint. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I met these guys at ADE as
well and we ended up really hitting it off; a lot of us came up with
some cool ideas and some good remixes and productions will come
of it. There are a few others Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m working on as well and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just
looking around for some good vocalists.â&#x20AC;?

Thursday March 20, Palace Theatre

(0$,/*5$&(#/$81'5<%$5&20$8)25025(,1)2

2

Sunday March 9, Flemington Racecourse

MORITZ VON OSWALD [GER]

Fri 7 mar

'-5(92/87,21

wo rd s / rk

Friday March 7, Flemington Racecourse

HIP HOP/RNB/TRAP.
WITH REQUE AND
FRIENDS 9 - 2
&NAA%JPNU

dannic

t yson

wray

Anyone who tweets an xojane article gets instantly
unfollowed from now on, OK?

After celebrating a huge 20th anniversary last year, Earthcore
have announced another stellar launch party as they prepare
to press â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;game onâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event. The event, taking
place on Easter Sunday, is lead by Perfect Stranger and
Space Tribe and will feature the likes of Digital Sun, Dean
Benson, Trent McDermott, Twisted Molecule, Scott Alien,
Jean Paul, Kurk Kokane, Christian Schumann, Golden Rae,
Lucca Tan, Mishâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Chief, Danny Dobs and Muska across
three stages of trance, techno and IDM. What better way to
celebrate the day a huge rabbit sneaks into your house and
leave Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all happening on happening on Sunday April 20 at
the RMH The Venue.

The Hot Dub Time Machine party phenomenon is returning for
a national tour. The concept is simple: one song from each
year in music, starting in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;50s and ending somewhere in
musical mindfuck oblivion. You can bet by the time you hit the
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s, shit will get real. It goes down at the Northcote Social
Club on Friday April 11.

Move D is bringing his deep house and ambient sounds to
Australia for a string of club shows in Brisbane, Melbourne,
Perth and Sydney this month. By the age of 12, David
Moufang had taken up drums and a few years later the guitar,
taking lessons from two separate jazz guitar teachers. He
played guitar in a band called Rivers & Trains well into the
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s. Occasionally he even plied his trade as a DJ, spinning
electro, funk and jazz. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until 1989 that he discovered
techno when a friend of his, D-Man, invited him to a club
he was running in the industrial suburb of Mannheim. He
released his first record, Earth To Infinity, in 1992 and since
has released a host of collaborative and solo work. Catch
Move D at Revolver on Sunday March 16.

yacht club djs

Yacht Club DJs will be taking on the east coast this April
with their Oddity Number Five tour. A favourite on the dance
floor, Yacht Club are known for blending classic pop and
rock into mesmerizing tunes that having you grooving all
night long. Their newest mixtape, Odditiy Number 5 (which
will be available as a free download next month), will
add to their catalogue of hits â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Kleptomania, Demons of
Gymnastics, Find Me A Macchiato Prontoâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; with fearless
numbers infused with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;60s blues, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s pop, death metal, and
everything in between. Yacht Club DJs will take the stage at
the Prince Bandroom on Friday April 18.

boiler room tv

Boiler Room TV will be returning to Melbourne this week.
Hosted over two days, Boiler Room TV is the largest
underground dance music show on the planet; and for its
sophomore year, Boiler Room will be bringing Chet Faker,
Oscar Key Sung & Andras Fox, Fantastic Man, Animals
Dancing Andee Frost, Recloose, Touch Sensitive, Otologic,
and Sleep D to our dance floors. Boiler Room TV will be in
Melbourne from Thursday March 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Friday March 7. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
an invite-only event, so check out boilerroom.tv/australia for
more information, including RSVP.

electronic - urban - club life

recondite

Recondite will finally make his way to our shores for a pair of
tour dates this March. Only a few years after first experimenting
with drum machines and hardware synths in a small studio
next to a forest in Bavaria, the techno producer has pumped
out two full-lengths, including last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s masterful Hinterland.
Recondite will play Brown Alley on Friday March 21.

behind the decks with:
michelle owen

baauer
word s / a ug u st u s we lby

Where’s the strangest place you’ve woken up? Berlin.
Describe yourself using the title of a song. Highway Of
Endless Dreams by M83.
What was the weirdest thing you believed as a child? That
when I talked to the stars at night they could hear me, well they
could!
The most awkward moment you’ve had as a DJ? Someone
thought I was Deniz Kurtel, praising me for the set I didn’t play
until I had to correct them. More awkward for them really.
What would be the worst dance track in the world to be
tortured with on repeat? Dubstep.
What’s the most played record in your bag? Bill Withers Who Is He (Henrik Schwarz edit).
What question would you like to ask an omniscient, allknowing being before you die?
Are human beings a joke put on this earth to entertain alien
existence?
If you hadn’t made it as a DJ, what job would you choose
to work in instead?
I would of invented Google!
When and where is your next gig? Press Play at Chasers on
Sunday March 9.
facebook.com/michelleowenmusic
soundcloud.com/michelle-owen

Although Harry Rodrigues posted Harlem Shake to his Baauer
Soundcloud page in April 2012, the single didn’t start to take off
until a homemade dance video set to its music surfaced online early
in 2013. But boy, it sure escalated quickly from there. Unless you
were living under a 3G-blocking rock last year, there’s very little
chance you avoided the Harlem Shake internet meme. As well as
inspiring several thousand video interpretations (and subsequently
dominating Facebook and Twitter news feeds), the song eventually
reached number one in both Australia and the US.
“It was early on [in my career], so it was a little scary,” admits
Rodrigues. “[It was] a little overwhelming because it was
happening on such a big scale.”
Achieving this level of attention right at the start of one’s career
can often result in getting classed a flash in the plan and being
swiftly forgotten about once the trend runs its course. However,
mainstream success has never been the young New York
producer’s chief ambition.
“Having a track that is the number one on Billboard and [getting]
that much exposure, I’ve learned that that wasn’t for me,”
Rodrigues explains. “That’s not what I wanted to aspire to as a
producer. I was much happier trying to create new, weird shit that
would be different and fresh.”
Indeed, Harlem Shake is by no means ordinary chart fodder. The
song is probably most widely remembered for its build-up into a
bass-heavy dance drop, which is why it was utilised by so many
dancing webcam users. Listening back, though, ‘Harlem Shake’ is
a bold genre conflation, fusing elements of hip hop, Euro dance
and a range of found sounds – a combination that can’t have been
chart-motivated.
“When I made that tune I was just having fun and fooling around,
doing whatever,” says Rodrigues. “If that worked out for me one

time, it’ll work out always.”
Even though joining the pop elite wasn’t Rodrigues’ ambition, there
are some definite positives to a song of this persuasion invading
the charts. In particular, the wide circulation of a track like ‘Harlem
Shake’ can introduce listeners everywhere to the innovative
underground that lies beneath contemporary electronic music.
“The bigger something gets in the mainstream, the stronger the
underground version of that will be,” Rodrigues says. “You can’t
have cool, forward-thinking shit without the mainstream shit.
So, the stronger it gets in the charts – all this EDM stuff – that
means the stronger the underground, cool, forward-thinking shit
will become.”
It’s been 12 months since the Harlem Shake sensation took flight,
and in that time a string of impressive Baauer tracks have showed
up online, including collaborations with RL Grime and hip hop superproducer Just Blaze, as well as remixes for The Prodigy and No
Doubt. In line with the Soundcloud origins of Harlem Shake, the site
remains a favoured method of distribution for Rodrigues.
“I do love putting out singles,” he says, “not even singles, just
putting out tracks; staying flush with the way the internet works.
When I made ‘Higher’ with Just Blaze, we put that on SoundCloud
the night we made it. I really think that is the best way to release
music now. I know that as a fan that’s how I like to discover music,
so it’s definitely the way I like to release it as an artist.”
Rodrigues turns 25 this year, which means that even though
he’s well and truly entrenched in internet culture, his formative
listening years predate online services. Yet his eclectic production
references betray a studious knowledge of electronic music.
“I originally grew up in the UK so that kind of shit was always
on BBC Radio; just always around me growing up in England.
Then I moved to the States and started to dig a little deeper and

electronic - urban - club life

discover more. But it definitely just came from hearing it on the
radio in England.”
Considering Baauer received such a resounding welcome into the
pop music realm last year, how can 2014 possibly compete? Well,
work on his debut full-length record is underway, but Rodrigues isn’t
too bothered about reviving the commercial highs of ‘Harlem Shake’.
“I’ve taken some time off touring the past couple of months to
get in the studio and I am working towards a big body of music.
No matter what, I told myself to always have fun making music.
Always at least have fun doing it and everything will sort itself out.”
In the meantime, his non-stop travel itinerary finally brings him
back to Australia next month for Future Music Festival. The crowd
involvement during Harlem Shake will definitely be something
worth witnessing. And the spectacle won’t end there.
“There’s new tracks [in the live show], and [I’m] combining tracks
that people already know and love in different and interesting
ways and just trying to create a fun atmosphere. Lately I’ve been
bringing around a couple of lighting and visuals guys to every
show. So now, as well as the music, there’s a big visual package
to go along with it.”

Catch Baauer at Future Music Festival which goes down
on Sunday March 9 at the Flemington Racecourse. He also
plays at Good Life under 18s music festival on Friday March
7 at the Flemington Racecourse.
facebook.com/baauer

With Christie Eliezer * Stuff for this column to be emailed to <celiezer@netspace.net.au> by Friday 5pm
Photo by Denis Radacic

BOSS MAKES $26.7 MILLION
FROM FOUR AUSSIE SHOWS
Bruce Springsteen’s first four shows in Australia
grossed $26.7 million, making them the biggest
grossing dates in the world last year. Arena shows in
Perth, Adelaide and Sydney and two outdoor stadium
dates in Melbourne’s AAMI Park shifted 62,950
tickets. The count does not include the Brisbane
Entertainment Centre show where he had the
12,000-strong crowd up on its feet from the first song
when he brought on eight violinists from Brisbane’s
Cooper & Koo ensemble for a version of the Bee
Gees’ Stayin’ Alive done to mark the fact he was
playing Queensland, and for New York City Serenade.
(They did an afternoon’s rehearsals, and declared, “He
treated us like family.”) Later Eddie Vedder came on
for Highway To Hell during which the four E-Streeter
guitarists (with Bruce) revelled in recreating Angus’
guitar break. At the tour’s winery show at Hope
Estate, Bruce acknowledged the circumstances by
kicking off with Electric Flag’s Wine, Wine, Wine
with lyrics localised for the Hunter Valley, and later
danced through the crowd asking fans to hand pass on
handwritten song requests. Bruce finished his Aussie
shows declaring he’d be back soon. Frontier Touring’s
Michael Gudinski told this column a return wouldn’t
be on the cards for at least two years. Meantime, Bruce’s
The Essential has been certified double platinum.

REMOTE CONTROL,
FLIGHTLESS, EXTEND DEAL
Remote Control Records and the Flightless label have
extended their deal. Flightless was set up and run by
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizards’ drummer Eric
Moore to release the band’s early EPs and albums, and
also issued releases by Melbourne bands The Murlocs,
Love Migrate and Sagamore. The Remote Control
deal kicked in for Gizzard’s third album Float Along –
Fill Your Lungs last year. The two have signed Victorian
surf coast (Rainbow Bay) “technicolor dream band"
The Babe Rainbow for the digital release of their
double A-side single Love Forever/Evolution 1964.

CROWDFUNDING SITE PANDA
CROWD LAUNCHES
A new crowdfunding site aimed solely at musicians,
Panda Crowd, has launched. Pandacrowd.com, which
had a soft arrival in December, was set up by musician
Brad Lyons who moved to Melbourne a year ago after
a stint playing in Brisbane bands Ripple Effect and
Joseph’s Fables. Lyons tells us that his research found
that musicians increasingly needed fan-funding for,
touring and merchandising. It takes 4.5% of monies
collected for the project (which he points out is lower
than similar sites, with the artist retaining 100%
ownership). “Down the track we’d like to be able to
set backers with bands for projects, and get into local
events.”

NEW BOOKER FOR VICTORIA
HOTEL
The Victoria Hotel (380 Victoria St, Brunswick) has a
new booker, Adam Donovan, whom regular readers of
the column would know is guitarist with Augie March.
His contact is bands@vichotelbrunswick.com.au

THINGS WE HEAR
• In his self-titled autobiography, INXS manager
Chris Murphy reveals that he and Michael
Hutchence locked horns over the singer dating Kylie
Minogue, because it wasn’t good for his image. He
also pointed out how a Minogue promo tour through
Europe seemed to land in the same cities as INXS’s.
This week, on the ARIA chart with Very Best Of and
The Swing still at #1 and #2, while Need You Tonight
goes gold. The TV series will now be broadcast abroad,
Murphy is moving ahead with his long time dream of
an INXS musical on Broadway, and there are whispers
of a return to touring.
• Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears says he has recorded
enough songs with Kylie Minogue over the years
to release an entire collaboration LP although there
are no plans to. Meantime, there was a thunderous
stampede to the Beresford Hotel after she tweeted she
was appearing there. At 10pm she appeared onstage
before a rapturous crowd, wearing a bright red number,
and sang Into The Blue. One enthusiastic fan got his
prayers answered when she got him up for a selfie, and
wished the crowd a happy Mardi Gras. “You know
I was first part of the Mardi Gras in ‘94, which was
a huge moment for me. And you’ve supported me
through thick and thin.”
• Soundwave will not return to WA again, promoter AJ
Maddah confirmed.
• Green Day’s three-hour Soundwave set included
covers of AC/DC, Rick Springfield and Men At
Work toe-tappers.
• In an interview with the Herald Sun, Sally Seltmann
revealed that husband Darren Seltmann is no longer a
member of The Avalanches.
• More Aussies are confirmed for the UK’s The Great
Escape (May 8 to 10): Stonefield, Tigertown, The
John Steel Singers and The Trouble With Templeton
join the previously announced Courtney Barnett,
Major Leagues, Ginger & The Ghost, Hermitude
and Dune Rats.
• Radio owner John Singleton wasn’t holding back
after merger talks between his Macquarie Radio
and Fairfax Radio fell through. He called Fairfax’s
chairman Roger Corbett “a precocious pretentious
prick” and CEO Greg Hywood “a third rater”. Talks
are, umm, not expected to resume.
• The 2Cellos’ classical version of AC/DC’s
Thunderstruck hit 4.3 million views a week after the
duo posted it online, Sony Music said.
• Licensees from over a dozen Ballarat licensed
venues met at Ballarat Town Hall to reconfirm their
commitment to the Ballarat Liquor Accord. As the
Accord spreads out from outside the Ballarat CBD
after it was set up in April 2010, the Western Hotel,
Red Lion Hotel, Miners Tavern and Freight Bar have
also signed up.
• The Castlemaine State Festival will move into the
Castlemaine goods shed as its new headquarters midyear. A number of local artists have also expressed
interest in setting up their offices there.

LIBERATION SETTLES WITH US
PROFESSOR
Liberation Records settles a copyright battle with
Harvard Law School professor Lawrence Lessig. In
2010, Lessig used snippets of Phoenix’s Lisztomania in
a lecture that was posted online. An automated system
flagged Liberation content had been used, and Lessig
was asked to take it down. A fierce copyright freedom
activist, the Prof. took legal action in the US District
Court in Massachusetts, asserting his right to use the
video under US and Australian fair use law. The case
was settled amicably last week, with Liberation paying
his court costs and promising to change its YouTube
takedown request policy to allow fair use.

KISS FM SETTLES WITH
SYDNEY’S KIIS
Melbourne dance station Kiss FM has settled
with Sydney’s rebranded KIIS, a station run by the
Australian Radio Network. Details of agreement were
not divulged. Kiss sent a cease-and-desist letter last
year after ARN changed its name from Mix. The letter
by station manager Timmy Byrne told ARN that they
were infringing on the long time station’s trademark.
But after a pow-wow, the two parties released a
joint statement: “ARN’s new station KIIS 1065 will
mutually coexist with Kiss FM in Australia and the
matter is now resolved.”

IVY LEAGUE SIGNS STEVE
SMYTH
Ivy League Records’ latest signing is one-time NSW
South Coast singer-songwriter Steve Smyth. They’ve
released his new single Shake It recorded in Hollywood
with Joey Waronker on drums (Atoms For Peace,
Thom Yorke, Beck) and Gus Seyffert on bass (The
Black Keys, Norah Jones).

CALLEA, CAMPBELL DO
MONDAYS ON JOY
Singer Anthony Callea and actor and singer Tim
Campbell will host the Monday Breakfast Show on
JOY 94.9 for the whole of March. The two are long
time supporters of the station.

BARBOUR EXITS SWINBURNE
UNI
Jim Barbour has left Swinburne University of
Technology (and the industry) after 25 years. He plans
to continue work on his PhD and travel the world with
his wife. He taught the Commercial Radio Course
until the uni closed the course down in late 2012.
Before that, Barbour worked in production at Adelaide
commercial radio station SAFM and was engineer on
Men at Work’s Business As Usual and Mondo Rock’s
Nuovo Mondo.

NICK CHARLES NAMED MATON
ARTIST FOR PT.FAIRY FEST
The sold out Port Fairy Folk Music Festival (March
7 to 10) announced guitarist Nick Charles as Maton
Guitars’ Artist of the Year. This is the 19th year Maton
sponsored the festival. Patrick Evans, Head Luthier at
Maton said, “He truly is a gifted guitarist and singer
and a musician’s musician. Listening to Nick play you
realise what an amazing tone he produces and how at
home he is on his instrument and within his music.
He has seemingly limitless technique at this disposal
but only ever uses it in service to the song, never to
show off his prowess.” Charles gets a new ECW80C
Heritage axe.

PANAMA SIGN TWO US DEALS
Sydney electronic pop trio Panama have finalised
two US deals. The band, signed to Future Classic in
Australia, inked with 300 Entertainment, the company
set up by former Warner Music Group head Lyor
Cohen. The Always EP – which got triple j and BBC
1 airplay, topped the Hype Machine charts and scored
1.3 million Soundcloud plays – is out this week in the
US and Canada with bonus track Strange Feeling. The
trio, who play South By Southwest in Texas, also signed
with major booking agency Billions, working with
founder David Viecelli (Arcade Fire, Spiritualized)
and Josh Lindgren to develop their presence in the
U.S. market with more touring.

KLP GOES #1 IN JAPAN
Sydney-based singer/songwriter/producer/DJ KLP
(Kristy Lee Peters) has debuted at #1 on the Japanese
electronic charts with her collaboration with Japanese
producer Banvox. KLP co-wrote the double A-side
Love Strong/Watch Me Dance and features on the latter.
KLP, who is signed to Universal Music Publishing,
showcases at South By Southwest this month.

DMG RADIO CHANGES NAME
Major radio broadcaster DMG Radio Australia (Nova,
Smooth) has changed its name to Nova Entertainment.
Chairman Lachlan Murdoch explained the move
came “as we continue to broaden our entertainment
offering outside of our core radio business.” DMG
was set up with UK’s Daily Mail Group. In November
2009, Murdoch’s Illyria bought 50%, and in September
2012 purchased the 50% from the UK firm. DMG has
expanded to live events (Red Room), TV (Smooth
channel on Foxtel) and branded radio (Coles Radio).

SHAZAM OVERHAULS SITE
Shazam has overhauled its site to ensure users spend
more time on it. Aside from a new look, it introduced
a news feed, lyric and video searches, bios and
recommendations for users to preview, share and buy
songs. In the US it will offer detailed information
about TV programs from 160 channels. It will role out
globally in the coming weeks. Shazam recently went
to bed with Warner Music Group to launch its own
record label and sign up any upcoming acts.

LIFELINES
Born: son for Gwen Stefani (No Doubt)
and Gavin Rossdale (Bush), their third boy.
Engaged: Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee
and LA-based singer /dancer Sofia Toufa
(stage name: SomeOtherFemaleInterest)
after five years together.
Split: Robin Thicke, 36, and actress Paula
Patton, 38, although he’s trying for a
reconciliation. They met as teenagers and
have a son Julian, 3.
In Court: As I Lay Dying singer Timothy
Lambesis admitted in a San Diego
courtroom to soliciting the murder of his
wife. He enlisted a hitman who turned out
to be a sheriff deputy.
Arrested: Natalie Hynde, 31, daughter
of The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde
and Kinks’ Ray Davies, for supergluing herself to a fellow protestor in an
anti-fracking demonstration in Sussex,
England.
Jailed: William H. Klein, 47, for eight
months for calling in a phony bomb threat
to a Pennsylvania arena before a One
Direction concert.
Died: Tasmanian singer-songwriter Nick
Balcombe, after a stroke. He recently did
his first national tour and in 2012 lived in
Holland to play festivals.
Died: an Adelaide woman, 63, hit by a car
outside the A Day On The Green concert
at McLaren Vale headlined by Hunters &
Collectors.
Died: Melbourne improvisational jazz
composer and bass violinist David Tolley, 77.
In 2005 he gave up the bass due to Parkinson’s
disease and focused on art and computer
generated sounding although he returned to
music performance in recent years.
Died: flamenco guitar virtuoso Paco de
Lucia, 66, of a heart attack in Mexico.
Died: Franny Beecher, 92, lead guitarist
of Bill Haley and The Comets, whose
Rock Around the Clock “officially” kicked
off rock’n’roll in 1955.

BILL PARTON TRIO EXTENDS
DEAL WITH FILM MAKER
Adelaide piano pop rock band the Bill Parton Trio
have signed a deal with South Australian filmmaker
Tim Pine to collaborate on two more music videos.
He worked on videos for earlier singles Going Away
and Falling For You Again (both accumulated 95,000
YouTube views and nominated for the 2013 MusicOz
Awards) as well as their new single Closer Now.

SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA DOCO
PREVIEW
Sydney is one of six cities in the world chosen to
premiere Swedish House Mafia’s doco of their final
tour Leave The World Behind, due later this year. The
other cities were New York, Los Angeles, Rigoletto
Sweden, London and Amsterdam. Sydney’s is on
Friday March 14 at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter, see
leavetheworldbehind.com.

CONSUMER WATCHDOG SLAMS
‘THREE STRIKES’ PLAN
The Australian Consumers Association’s Choice
magazine lambasted the Australian Government’s
plans to introduce a ‘three strikes’ policy for those
who illegally download music, films, TV shows and
games. It has started a petition against it, Billboard
reported. Choice CEO Alan Kirkland admits online
piracy is a problem but warns, “These measures would
push up the price of internet access without any
impact on piracy. Nobody supports internet piracy
but punishing consumers is not the answer. The best
way to stop piracy is to make it easier for Australians
to pay for content like movies and television series at
internationally competitive prices.”

CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

BIEBER’S ‘BABY’ HITS 1 BILLION
VEVO VIEWS
Justin Bieber’s 2010 breakout single Baby has reached
1 billion views on VEVO. He is the youngest artist
to achieve this milestone, which also makes Baby the
streaming platform’s most-watched clip ever. It is the
only video to be certified 10x across VEVO, a similar
feat as a gold or platinum certification.

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 27

THE NAKED AND
FAMOUS
By Nathan Hewitt

Nearly six years into their tenure, New Zealand electro-rockers The Naked And Famous have
seen a neatly divided troupe of post-punk revivalists and casual festivalgoers unite beneath their
brand. With a two-album catalogue, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Thom Powers is now
concerned with dropping fresh content quickly. His hint of a follow-up to In Rolling Waves,
though, comes aside the promise of a sound more alternative than the hard-pop stalwart fans
have come to know.
For all his forward-thinking, Thom seems just as able to relish the present. The Naked And Famous have just finished up
their Big Day Out sets and he says the experience allowed them, among other benefits, the opportunity to be adoring allaccess punters.
“I loved seeing Deftones,” Thom says. “They were my high school band. Me and Alisa got to go onstage and to sing Passenger
with them. It was amazing.” He recalls supporting his mates, too: “Grouplove were just amazing, and they’re great friends of
ours, so it turned out to be a real social tour.”
Big Day Out looks to have given Thom some respite post-album release, despite his suggestions the affair went by smoothly.
“It felt like a soft release, a very soft release, which worked cool,” he says. “We got our label to push the album out before the
real marketing kicked in, because we felt that we’d been sitting around for too long.” The quintet had at the time designated
touring as their main priority – which Thom insists is still
the case – and so weren’t keen to chase the kind of lengthy
sales campaign favoured by major labels.
“We weren’t about putting out a massive, super successful
pop record as a follow-up,” he says. “It was about developing
our sound.”
It can be said then that while Thom and TNAF are the
prolific sort, they’re definitely not impatient. “I’m still
enjoying where we’re at,” he says. The release of In Rolling
Waves hasn’t broken vast commercial ground but he reckons
their focus is set firm and near. “We haven’t jumped up in
venue size, but maybe for the next record we’ll be more
ambitious in trying to reach a broader audience.”
The subject of Thom’s ambition is surely alternative rock,
and he believes the band is already in a kind of transitional
phase to that sound. Hits Hearts Like Ours and I Kill Giants
are organic successors to synth-heavy party favourites like
Young Blood and Punching In A Dream but he asserts a
subtle shift is present. “I think we achieved similar success
to Young Blood with these newer tracks. They’re a different
kind of pop song -–they helped to establish us as a more
alternative band.”
Such a quest for alt-rock legitimacy – much like any musical
venture needing to alter fan perception amicably – requires
a songwriting skill Thom feels he has most of the time.
“Some days I feel not so confident as a songwriter,” he
concedes, “and some days I do. I think I’ll struggle with it
my entire life.” He’s working at his craft, though: “I think
I’ve always suffered from an inferiority complex [laughs],
but writing songs for me is a part of overcoming that.”
Thom is quick however to quell any implications he
struggled, or is struggling now, with an older Passive Me,
Aggressive You: “Everything we’ve released we’ve been
satisfied with. And I’ve definitely moved on from stuff I
wrote when I was younger.” He doesn’t see the sense in
being negative. “I feel like it’s more important to accept and
acknowledge where you came from. I hate when an artist
says they hate their earlier material. It almost seems like an
insult to their fans. You should never undermine yourself.”
“Relentless touring” must come before any new material
and Australian punters are happily awaited by Thom and
the band. “I can’t wait to get to Australia and actually do
a full set,” he laughs. “I love doing festivals, but we’d love
with BOB SEDERGREEN, PETER GAUDION,
to do much more than that.” The Naked and Famous have
limited experience, it seems, with playing to a crowd totally
ASH GAUDION, JAMES CLARK
their own: “There’s something really intimate and cathartic
and ANDREW SWANN
about being able to play to your fans. You feel as though
you’re in your element, with your own identity.”
Thom wants a long life for The Naked and Famous but
thankfully not at the expense of creative prosperity. “I feel
like I’ve become more realistic about the future now,” he
says. “I look to the short-term.” He adds he doesn’t know
how tracks like Young Blood will age, nor how they’ll be
preserved, but hopes for the best. “Something about singing
Young Blood at 40 seems a bit weird. I hope we can still do
the track in a cool way then, and people won’t care that
we’re old.”
“In 2015 we’ll have been a band for ten years, and that’s
totally fucked, it’s crazy,” Thom says. “I still feel like the
stupid 19-year-old guy who didn’t want to get a real job
[laughs].”
He believes he is content to remain with Alisa as a creative
Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 March
force long-term but, should an end come, his love for music
will keep him around. “I think of myself one day doing
Cecil Street, South Melbourne Market
something like Max Richter, who does a lot of composition
work. You know – too old to be in an alternative rock band,
young enough to restart as a different musician.”
Whether looking forward to 2015 – when fans will ideally
see a more mature version of The Naked and Famous
surface – or to 2025, Thom believes their music is not for a
singular time and place. Watch their space.

Port Phillip

Mussel Festival
2014

presents

Jazz

direct from Bourbon Street to South Melbourne
Featuring on two stages:

In late 1984, having previously decided to draw the curtain on a brief but eventful tenure
in the Australian music scene, Sunnyboys set out on a farewell tour of Australia. While
the band’s singer and precociously talented Jeremy Oxley had already exhibited some of
the erratic behaviour that would eventually be diagnosed as schizophrenia, it was the
fact that playing music together was no longer fun that was the catalyst for the band’s
decision to break-up.
“The tour we did in late 1984 was the ‘pay the bills tour’,” says guitarist Richard Burgman. “We wanted to walk
away clear, so we made sure we could pay off all of our debts, to people involved with the band, credit cards,
everything.” While Jeremy Oxley would briefly revive the Sunnyboys moniker in the late ‘80s and ‘90s without
the involvement of any of the other original members of the band – Burgman, drummer ‘Big’ Bill Bilson and
Oxley’s brother and bass player Peter – the 1984 farewell tour was to be the last sighting of Sunnyboys for almost
30 years (the Oxley brothers, Bilson and Tim Oxley would play a few songs in 1998 at Mushroom Records’ 25th
Anniversary concert).
The Sunnyboy documentary describes Jeremy Oxley’s battle with schizophrenia, and his gradual return to the stage
alongside his former band mates. “This time around it’s about picking up the best parts of what we had, and
running with that,” Burgman says. An appearance at the Sydney leg of the 2012 Dig It Up! festival heralded
Sunnyboys’ return to live performance; subsequent festival and headline shows across the country in late 2012
confirmed Sunnyboys’ re-appearance was no fluke.
Burgman, who moved to Canada with his Canadian-born wife over 20 years ago (“no-one here has any idea who
the Sunnyboys are,” Burgman laughs), confesses to being “pleasantly surprised” at the reaction Sunnyboys have
generated since returning to the fray. “We did a have
a sense that the reaction would be good because we
left a good legacy,” Burgman says on the phone from
Wagga Wagga, where’s he currently holidaying. “But
that said, we’ve been very pleasantly surprised at the
crowds who’ve come along to see us, and how much
everyone’s enjoyed the shows.”

“BACK THEN THERE WAS
A LOT OF PRESSURE – THE
INDUSTRY WAS DANGLING
A LOT OF CARROTS WHILE
ALSO GETTING THE STICK
OUT AS WELL. THERE’D BE
THIS CONSTANT PRESSURE
TO MAKE RECORDS AND
TOUR. NOW WE HAVE THE
CARROT, AND THE STICK.”
The last time around Sunnyboys were the victim of
industry expectation: the band’s first album spawned
the classic hits Alone With You and Happy Man, and the
band – particularly Jeremy Oxley – was under strong
industry pressure to produce more hit songs, and to
maintain a heavy touring schedule. This time around,
Burgman says, Sunnyboys are in control.
“We know exactly what it is that we’re doing this time
around,” Burgman says. “Back then there was a lot of
pressure – the industry was dangling a lot of carrots
while also getting the stick out as well. There’d be this
constant pressure to make records and tour. Now we
have the carrot, and the stick.”
The “carrot”, Burgman offers, is the simple pleasure
of getting to play. “We want playing to be fun,” he
says. “It’s great to be back onstage, and to have the
opportunity to be onstage. And we can play the songs
that we want to.”
With Jeremy Oxley’s wife – and practising nurse –
accompanying the band on tour, Oxley is managing
the band’s live schedule without any dramas. “Jeremy’s
fairly well protected from most of the noise that’s been
generated with the band’s return,” Burgman says. “But
he has been talking to people, and he’s been involved
with some of the activities for the documentary, so he’s
handling it really well.”
Sunnyboys have recently released a compilation of
tracks taken from the band’s three studio albums,
as well as some choice outtakes, rarities and demos
from the band’s early days. The compilation includes
alternate versions of two tracks from Sunnyboys’
second album, the Lobby Loyde-produced Individuals.
Having originally been disappointed with the album
when it was released, Burgman says the band is happy
to finally show the world how the album should have
sounded. “Those two songs [No Love Around and You
Need A Friend] are pre-mixes, and they sound so much
better.”
While there are still other rarities and outtakes to
release if the occasion requires, Burgman says it’s
unlikely that Sunnyboys will record any new material.
“The band was around from 1981 to 1984, and that’s
what people want to hear,” Burgman says. “We’ve
all moved on musically, so there are no plans at the
moment to record any new songs. But never say never,
I suppose!”
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SUNNYBOYS play The Forum on Friday March 21
and Saturday March 22.
WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES..... WWW.BEAT.COM.AU/TV

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 29

JOHN NEWMAN
By Dan Watt

There is so much to like about British singer/producer John Newman. Firstly, what we
do know is that Newman’s voice is like no other – powerful yet vulnerable and emotional
with his music uplifting, compelling and the perfect marriage of classic grooves and
future pop.
However, in a 15-minute interview Beat Magazine
found out that there is so much more to the 23-yearold lad from the small English town of Settle,
Yorkshire. Newman reveals the strategy behind his
transformation from ‘the voice on those Rudimental
songs’ to be known in his own right; the highly
personal story behind Rudimental’s Not Giving In;
that he was a child DJ/producer and finally, that he
will be letting fans inside his head at his performance
at the Palace Theatre on Tuesday April 29.
The name John Newman first entered the global music
scene’s vocabulary when British production crew
Rudimental released the song Feel The Love in 2012
that went to #1 in the UK singles chart and #3 here in
Australia. Newman’s collaborations with Rudimental
also included their other top 20 UK single in Not
Giving In. However, Rudimental’s success came at the
cost of Newman’s identity as a solo artist.
“We have worked very, very hard at building up my
identity because I was a bit of a faceless character at
first. There was a little bit of an identity crisis with us
all because no one really knew who it was making this
music that everyone was listening to. For Rudimental’s
team around them, their management and their label,
it was really important that I wasn’t sitting in their
interviews so people quite quickly worked out who
they were. So to my management and team it was very
clear that we needed to be doing a lot of in-person
interviews to get my face out there,” explains Newman.
Despite Newman’s and Rudimental’s teams pushing
to separate the identities of the two acts, the reality
is that Newman and the London production quartet
shared a much more organic relationship.
“For Not Giving In me and Piers (Agget of
Rudimental) wrote it in Piers’ bedroom when I was
living at his house,” Newman explains. “It is about a
really close friend of ours that was going through a

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 30

really tough time and we wanted to write a song about
him and that was Not Giving In. I fully wrote the lyrics
to Not Giving In.”
At this point it is important to make the distinction
that Newman is not just an extremely talented
vocalist; it’s not like he’s just a voice that Rudimental
laid over the top of their exquisite heavy bass rooted
production. Newman is a DJ and a producer in his
right. Growing up in the Yorkshire town of Settle
(population 2,421) Newman got into DJing at the age
of nine and was sampling his own vocals, guitar and
piano over the top of established dance tracks by the
time he was 13.

“TO USE MUSICIANS
IS THE WAY
FORWARD, MAN,
AND OBVIOUSLY
THAT DOESN’T
CATER FOR SYNTHS”
“I had a little setup in my mum’s house and I was
sampling my own stuff. How I became a producer was
that when I spoke about how I used to DJ, play house
records, all the young lads in the town were doing the
same thing – it was the new thing to do. So the way
that I wanted to be different to everybody else is by
making interludes and remixes of tracks and intros
and that’s how I began producing. I would spend many
man hours in front of a computer screen tweaking and
integrating my own recordings.”
Newman now establishes that despite knowing how

to execute all the tricks of production, if it’s not a well
constructed song, it’s not a good song.
“I think nowadays people cover up too many things
with what they can buy from a music shop and forget
that there is a really important thing in making music
that songs have to be well crafted. You have to be able
to perform a song on a piano and still sound good. It
can be fun to add in all these cool effects and synths but
the thing is, when you start adding so much electronic
stuff you lose the charm of what music can be. That
is: the charm of the swing of a musician or how the
musician sits back off the beat. To use musicians is the
way forward, man, and obviously that doesn’t cater for
synths,” says a passionate Newman.
However, with this anti-fad mentality Newman is now
asked to explain the dubstep-like breakdown during
Love Me Again. “Yeah man, the middle eight of Love
Me Again was on the half time dubstep thing because
that is what I felt like at the time, I will do anything

DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

if it feels right at the time,” admits Newman softly
laughing.
Anyone who has seen the film clip for Love Me Again
or saw Newman’s performance on Australian TV
show The Voice – he was a guest at the series’ Grand
Final – will know that Newman’s stage performance
is impassioned and theatrical. This bodes well for fans
planning on seeing Newman at his show next month.
“Live shows are so, so important to me, I don’t
understand how people can’t put their all into every
gig. The thing about the live show is that my stage
set is related to the album artwork design that I was
involved in. The lighting is really important so I keep
a close eye on that. You walk into the gig and it is
basically the inside of my head.”
JOHN NEWMAN is performing at the Palace
Theatre on Tuesday April 29. Tribute is out now on
Island/Universal.

BOBBY KEYS
By Patrick Emery

The history of rock’n’roll is laced with colourful characters, titillating tales and sordid events;
in fact, without gratuitous consumption of narcotic substances, erratic disciplinary habits and
egotistical battles, rock’n’roll would arguably be little more than a pretentious musical shell.
And where would rock’n’roll be without the wild presence of
Bobby Keys? Keys was born in Lubbock, Texas on December
18, 1943. Serendipitously, this was the same day upon which
Keys’ trans-Atlantic partner in excess, Keith Richards, came
into the world. Keys happened upon the saxophone almost
by accident while at primary school. Looking to join the
school band, Keys found the only vacant instrument to be the
saxophone and his musical journey began. A few years later,
and Keys went on tour with Buddy Holly and the Crickets,
having secured the signature of his grandfather to allow the
underage Keys to go on the road.
While Keys met the Rolling Stones during that band’s 1965
American tour, it took another five years before Keys – by
that time an increasingly in-demand session player – and his
saxophone became a seminal ingredient in the Stones’ Mick
Taylor-era musical aesthetic. Keys’ dulcet sax tones could be
found on records by The Who, John Lennon, Joe Cocker,
Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Bonnie and Delaney;
some have suggested it was Keys’ presence that ensured Exile

on Main Street’s place in the list of legendary rock records.
And then there are the notorious stories: in his charming, if
somewhat disturbingly honest memoir Life, Keith Richards
recounts Keys’ sacking from the Stones touring band in 1973
after Keys missed a show after being discovered with a young
French lady in a bath of Dom Perignon champagne. Or the
freebase cocaine sessions with Ron Wood and Richard Pryor
in the early ‘80s, one of which saw Pryor set himself on fire.
Or the days in Nellcôte shooting smack with Richards, or
boozing the night away with Harry Nilsson. Scratch the
surface of just about any great ‘70s rock’n’roll moment and
you’ll find Bobby Keys loitering around with his Southern
smile and Texan drawl.
But I’ve been warned that Keys isn’t interested in talking about
his days of infamy, or his history as sax sideman to the stars.
He’s about to come to Australia as both a member of the
Rolling Stones’ touring band, and also as leader of the ‘good
time rock’n’roll band’ Bobby Keys and the Suffering Bastards.
“I’m glad you asked about that band, because that’s why I’m

coming to Australia,” Keys says, after I’ve asked him a few
questions about his early musical history, and his saxophone
style (“I listened to a lot more guitar players than saxophone
players so my approach to playing saxophone was more based
on the guitar”; “When I was playing with other musicians I
didn’t really try and adapt my style – I’d just stick the sax in
my mouth and blow, and they seemed to like what I did”).
The Suffering Bastards came about when Keys, frustrated
at not having a band to play with in his adopted hometown
of Nashville, formed his own band. “I just got sick of not
having a band to play with,” Keys says. The Suffering Bastards
comprises members of the Georgia Satellites, the Allman
Brothers and Lyrnrd Skynrd; the band’s setlist includes tracks
drawn from Keys’ extensive catalogue, including Rolling
Stones, John Lennon, Joe Cocker and George Harrison.
“It’s a natural sort of thing when we get onstage,” Keys says.

“I love to play, and the band loves to play. I’m the musical
suggestor of the band, but not I’m not the leader of the band.”
Keys concedes that in hindsight, he might have lived his
life in a slightly different – albeit not necessarily ordered –
fashion. But at age 70, he’s still focusing on the future, and
not languishing in the past. “Playing saxophone in a band is
just about the only thing I can do these days. But if I knew
then what I know now, I’d have done things different –
different teams, different ball games,” Keys says, with a lusty
Texan laugh.

is coming out – to see what the new direction of sounds are
going to be like or what people are liking today.”
Of course, Dunbar isn’t monitoring pop trends with hopes
of finding something to emulate and thus cash-in on. Sly
& Robbie are preeminent innovators, keeping their artistic
foundations firmly in place while re-arranging the decorations.
“Listen to old stuff and new stuff and try to write,” says Sly
of his daily routine. “I listen a lot to music. I listen everyday
trying to find what is out there, try to pick up on what I could
merge with reggae, what I could do another way.”
Making records that people still want to hear four decades
into a career is no mean feat and Dunbar clearly still possesses
an honest hunger for discovering new sounds. But that’s not
his leading motivation.

“The main drive is the people,” he says, “to see people happy
and dancing to music. I don’t like to see people sad and I
know music has made a lot of people happy. So for me I go
in every time and try to accomplish something I can play to
someone and they say, ‘I love it! I love it! It sounds great.’
Then after that I move onto the next thing, to see if I can do
it again. I keep on trying to do it over and over again.”

Charged with socially conscious lyrics, Bradley howls on the
opening track, “This world’s goin’ up in flames/And nobody’s
goin’ to take the blame,” like someone who’s witnessing it
first-hand.
“The first album is me in the darkness and I’d been in the
darkness for a long time,” he says. “If you’re a blues singer or
a soul singer, you’re goin’ to feel it. You got to feel what you
sing. I break down onstage and just try to find a way to sing
the note. That’s what I do. I give it the way I feel it.”
The following year a documentary on Bradley’s life, the
critically acclaimed Soul Of America, was released. To this day,
he says he has yet to sit through the entire film. “I can’t watch
it because when you’re livin’ it, you’re feelin’ it but you’re not
seeing it, if you know what I mean,” he says. “It’s just too hard.”
Bradley says he feels much the same about the song Heartaches
And Pains, which tells the story of his brother Joseph’s death.
“It’s like every word has a picture behind it,” he says. “That’s
tough too, y’know.”
Thankfully there is joy in the singer’s latest release, Victim Of
Love, and the artist can’t wait to share his passionate songs of

yearning with Australian audiences next month. “I ain’t got
nothin’ but love for Australia. The food, the seafood, oh my
God,” he says wistfully. “I don’t drink beer but there’s this beer
you got there that tastes like almonds.”
Bradley says his socially conscious soul music connects with
people because it is genuine. “I just hope people see the long
road I had to go and see what it took to get where I am,” he
says. “When you go on that stage and you open your heart,
people can see you for who you really are. I just hope that
the world will see honesty and what coming from the heart
really means.”

BOBBY KEYS & THE SUFFERING BASTARDS
play Thornbury Theatre on Thursday March 27. He’ll
also feature alongside the Rolling Stones at Rod Laver
Arena on Friday March 28, followed by Hanging Rock on
Sunday March 30.

SLY & ROBBIE
By Augustus Welby

Popularly known as the Riddim Twins, drummer Sly Dunbar and bass player Robbie Shakespeare
have been making grooves together since they were both instated in producer Bunny Lee’s house
band, The Aggrovators, in the early ‘70s. Music history suggests that by now Sly & Robbie’s
playing would sound dated or predictable. Contrary to this, the Jamaican duo’s unique strengths
continue to garner wide esteem.
“Keep the groove,” says Dunbar. “Once you find a groove
you just lock it. It’s not about showboating who’s a better
musician or who’s a better player. It isn’t competitive – it has
to sound good together. There’s not anyone in charge, we just
work together and once it’s right – that’s it.”
Sly & Robbie will perform at this year’s Bluesfest alongside
British singer Bitty Mclean (and backing group the Taxi
Gang). They teamed up with Mclean in 2006 and have since
released two full-length albums, 2009’s Movin’ On and last
year’s The Taxi Sessions. Sly & Robbie expect a high standard
from their collaborators and Dunbar speaks fondly of the
relationship with Mclean.
“With an artist like Bitty it’s so easy because he’s an engineer
and he plays keyboards and everything like that. So we sit
down and we discuss exactly where we think it should go and
we just take it there.”
The two Bitty Mclean records feature a soulful, mature reggae
sound while also embracing slick contemporary production

values. This progressive quality represents Sly & Robbie’s
determination to continuously update their stylistic distinctions.
“We try to tweak it sometimes and add different sounds just
to make it sound fresh to the listener all the time,” Dunbar
says. “Every so often we try to change the sound. Not directly
change it, but we add things to it [or] take away things so
one could feel it moving or growing into another direction.”
Sly & Robbie first achieved major recognition for the
aggressive ‘rocker’ style of reggae they pioneered with The
Revolutionaries in the mid-‘70s. They soon went on to play
with fellow Jamaicans Black Uhuru and Peter Tosh, before
producing and recording with the likes of Grace Jones, Bob
Dylan, Serge Gainsbourg and No Doubt. Sly & Robbie’s
eclectic career output also includes remixes of songs by Britney
Spears and Madonna and Dunbar explains the importance of
keeping an eye on what’s dominating the charts.
“Globally I try to keep up-to-date and listen. I listen to
American top 40 radio, I listen to Lorde – everything that

SLY & ROBBIE play alongside Jack Johnson, John Mayer,
Matt Corby and heaps more at the 25th annual Byron Bay
Bluesfest running from Thursday April 17 – Monday April
21. They’ll also tear up 170 Russell with The Wailers and
more on Wednesday April 23.

CHARLES BRADLEY
By Sam Davis

Charles Bradley went from sleeping on subway trains to selling out music venues across the world.
It just took him almost five decades to get there. However, soulful crooning is never out of style.
Even as Charles Bradley groans about a poor paint job in the hallway of his Brooklyn apartment,
his beautiful baritone has a timeless quality to it. But today Bradley is in no mood for crooning.
“I’m a little angry right now,” he bellows raspily. The hallway is
“pinkish” and Bradley asked for eggshell white. “They got paint
on my floor,” he fumes. “I tell you what, I’m gonna go to Home
Depot and get this done tonight. One thing my mama always
told me is if you want it done right, get it done yourself.”
Bradley’s mother, Inez Welch, passed away a week-anda-half ago, aged 90. The singer, so famous for laying his
emotions bare onstage, is sharing his pain on a phone line to
a reporter thousands of kilometres away.
“I always loved my mom,” he says quietly. “She was a strongheaded woman. Right now, it’s like there’s an empty space
and nobody’s there to take it.”
The relationship between mother and son wasn’t always
easy, he says. Bradley lived with his grandmother in Florida
before moving in with his mother when he was seven. But
the family lived in relative squalor in New York and Bradley
says he slept in a dirty basement.
One time, he recalls his mother being bitten by a rat and
contracting rabies. She was paralysed for six months. “I don’t
know how to really put it into words for you, but it was a
dark time.”
At 14 he ran away from home, sleeping in subway cars
and alleyways before joining Job Corps — a vocational
program started by President Lyndon Johnson in the ‘30s.

Bradley became a chef but he could always sing. He scraped
by, travelling across the United States and occasionally
performing.
In 1977, he settled in California working odd jobs for almost
20 years. It wasn’t until 1994 that he finally reconciled with
his mother, hashing out their differences in a dank hotel
where he was living at the time. “It was the kind of place you
pay six hours at a time so you can imagine what it was like,”
he says. “She hung with me in a lot of places and in the end
everything came good.”
Two years later Bradley’s mother invited him to live with her
back in New York. He took up a gig performing at the Tar
Heel Lounge in Brooklyn as a James Brown impersonator
known as ‘Black Velvet’.
The vocal hiccups, the James Brown grunts, yelps and
howls, had all been well honed by this stage and some of his
mother’s advice ensured his costumes were in step with the
music. “One thing that she taught me was when you love
what you’re doing, make a good appearance,” he says.
His flamboyance and passion came across and other artists
reached out to Bradley. In 2002, Daptone Records started
releasing some of his original music on vinyl. Finally, in 2011
he released his debut album, No Time For Dreaming. Bradley
was 62-years old at the time.

WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES..... WWW.BEAT.COM.AU/TV

CHARLES BRADLEY plays the Zoo Twilights at the
Melbourne Zoo on Friday March 7. He will then play
alongside Cut Copy, Public Enemy, Gold Panda and more
at Golden Plains, which runs at the Meredith Supernatural
Amphitheatre from Saturday March 8 – Monday March
10. He’ll also play a sold-out show at the Corner Hotel on
Thursday March 6.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 31

BREABACH
By Augustus Welby
As the name implies, ‘folk music’ speaks to the people. It addresses shared concerns
and offers insight into foundational aspects of individual and community identity.
Cultural diversity and ongoing lifestyle fluctuation means there’s no definitive
version, but any successful folk music can relate to a particular time and place while
maintaining a timeless (and egoless) perspective.
Ùrlar, the new record from Glasgow-based quintet
Breabach, exhibits this compound of the local and
the enduring. Ahead of the album’s Australian release,
fiddle player Megan Henderson explains that the
band members returned to their assorted hometowns
to source ideas for the record.
“The word ‘Ùrlar’ literally translates as ‘ground’ or
‘foundation’,” she says. “Our basis of what we set out
for, we were all going to go back to our roots to collect
some material, or write some new material, but [to]
have a bit of inspiration from folk back home.”
Perhaps Breabach’s most distinctive feature is a
jaunty use of bagpipes, but Ùrlar isn’t stylistically
limited. The record is split between instrumentals
and songs featuring vocals from one of the band’s
three singers (Henderson, bagpipe/bouzouki
player Callum MacCrimmon and guitarist Ewan
Robertson). There’s vocal harmonies sung in Scottish
Gaelic, traditional country leanings and even some
foreboding medieval sounds.
“It’s quite varied,” says Henderson, “and it’s good

because it’s got a little bit of all of us in it. There’s a lot
of our own material in it this time, music that we’ve
all written.”
In recent years ‘folk’ has become a marketing
buzzword, reaching a point where basically anyone
handling an acoustic guitar can be tagged a folk
singer. Sure, folk artists do primarily play acoustic
instruments, but ‘folk’ and ‘acoustic’ are by no means
synonymous. Anyhow, despite Breabach’s endeavour
to authentically correspond with folk traditions,
Henderson isn’t dismissive of the mainstream folkies.
“I think it’s great that, whatever these bands are doing,
that they’re doing their thing. It might not be the
most traditional representation of folk music. There’s
so much folk music that you can’t really pinpoint what
is or what isn’t folk music. Just that people even know
the word, that’s pretty cool.”
Breabach’s submersion in the history of Scottish
music has earned them accolades such as Folk Band
of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards in 2012
and support from BBC Radio 2. However, their

rising profile hasn’t prompted a commercial sound
makeover.
“I think we’re all too laidback to be bothered about
anything like that,” says Henderson. “We’re just doing
our thing and we’ll make a record to showcase what
we’re doing. It’s more like a wee archive for ourselves,
to look back on what we did.”
Regardless of these modest ambitions, Breabach has
been charming audiences around the world for almost
a decade now. The group were in Australia just a few
months ago and they’ll be back again this week for a
range of festival appearances. The quintet’s live show
is a highly interactive affair that invites the audience
to contribute to the overall experience.
“If you want to just sit back and enjoy the music that’s
great but if you want to join in on a chorus or two
of a song and learn a bit of a Scots song or a bit of
Gaelic, a bit of pipe imitation, you can feel free,” says

Henderson. “We like to see a good response and have
a good rapport with our audience. We don’t really
want to go in and just be playing to a brick wall. We
want to see that you’re interacting and that the music
is getting across to people.”
Indeed, Breabach’s music is a true representation of
their country’s folk traditions but, more importantly,
it communicates with the folks of today.
“We’re all very respectful of traditional music,” says
Henderson, “and we all know where we’re from and
know our roots and our traditional music. But the
music progresses.”

Finally, Goksin goes into more depth about the
passion that drove the idea for this festival and that
is the music!
“I selected the bands from who had playing at
Claypots for the last six years. In a way they are my
friends and my team so they have come on board
lovingly and they want to see this festival grow
as a jazz and seafood street festival for the city of
Melbourne.”
He now goes into some depth on the acts Gil Askey
& Friends, Shuffle Club, Margie Lou and The Paul
Williamson Hammond Combo.
“Gil Askey is turning 88 years old. He is an American
fellow who has worked with Motown Records, he has
arranged for Ray Charles and other big names. He has
a high profile in the trumpet world. He will come and
play the trumpet and sing What A Wonderful World and

coming from an 88-year-old master of his instrument
it is really meaningful.
“Margie Lou is playing with a quartet and she very
much has a very New Orleans sound,” he says. “The
Paul Williamson Hammond Combo has had a
residency at The Rainbow Hotel for 20 years – so you
get that really warm ‘70s Hammond sound – it is a lot
of fun to dance to!”
And then with chuckle Goksin reveals that there will
also be an Elvis impersonator, “he’s not really jazz but
he’s from that area!”

BREABACH play Port Fairy Folk Music Festival
from Friday March 7 – Monday March 10. They
also hit up the Brunswick Music Festival at
Brunswick Town Hall on Tuesday March 11 and
Caravan Music Club on Friday March 28.

PORT PHILLIP
MUSSEL FESTIVAL
By Dan Watt
New Orleans is a highly romanticised city depicted as the home of smoky and sensual
jazz but also raging street parties and to die for seafood. There is nothing quite like it,
particularly here in Melbourne. Well, the team that established and operates Claypots
(St Kilda) and Claypots Evening Star (South Melbourne) is changing that by throwing
this city’s first mussel and jazz festival that is taking place at South Melbourne Market.
“These days jazz music doesn’t really work that well in
a club, it does work outdoor on the streets because it
is people’s music. So we are getting Melbourne’s jazz
scene out of the clubs and putting it on the street
where it belongs!” enthuses festival organiser and
owner of Claypots, Renan Goksin.
“The idea for the jazz festival grew up on us; it started
with Port Phillip Mussel Festival to celebrate the
mussel and the idea for jazz seemed easy and natural.
We chose a wonderful local product like mussels that
we will be selling in buckets for $4 and it will go really
well with the jazz music,” explains Goksin.
The Port Phillip Mussel Festival is taking place
this Saturday March 8 and Sunday March 9 with
entertainment and mussels available from 12 noon
until 11pm. There will be two stages, one out the front
of Claypots Morning Star and the other stage further
down York St that will be closed for the festival.

“The corner of Cecil and York Streets will be the
headquarters where we will have one stage set up
there and I will be using mussels from the bay – this
stage will be called Mount Martha stage and the Port
Arlington stage – to represent the local areas that the
mussels are from. We will close the street and there
will be some roaming musicians and improv-like
theatre happening as well. We have a parade of body
builders as a cheeky play on the theme of mussels to
muscles. We are looking for very fun, convivial family
entertainment. Non-stop entertainment,” say Goksin.
Speaking of the mussels, there will be many buckets
on offer as the other eateries at South Melbourne
Market take part in the festivities. “I am doing a lemon
grass ginger marinade on the mussels, and because
other eateries at South Melbourne Market have come
on board as well, each of us will be doing different
flavours. I would also like to do mussel chowder!”

PORT PHILLIP MUSSEL FESTIVAL 2014 is
happening from 12pm to 11pm on Saturday March
8 and Sunday March 9. Visit South Melbourne
Market for more info or call Claypots Evening Star
on (03) 9645 5779.

MICHELANGELO RUSSO versus HUGO RACE
Michelangelo asks Hugo:
How long have we been playing together?
We both moved to Melbourne about the same
time, (well, I came back for a while and you moved
here indefinitely) exactly 20 years ago. You had that
studio in Fitzroy and we jammed some afternoons
in the paint fumes and began elaborating songs that
became the True Spirit album, Valley of Light.
What kind of music is it that we do?
It’s a mix of songwriting and electronics and it
started in True Spirit but without Brett and Bryan
on drums and bass we can venture into very abstract
places and basically cook acid soup with the synths
and loops, everything is in it, like minestrone on
steroids.
Is it a new thing?
Maybe it’s a strange hybrid that adds up to
something futuristic that we couldn’t know about if
we didn’t try it. Each duo gig seems to explore deeper

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 32

into what’s possible and even better, the impossible
Will there be more of these gigs?
Melbourne and the east coast need more wild
electric sounds like nothing heard before on your
street very soon and we can do that, so why not?
Hugo asks Michelangelo:
What is your favourite instrument?
The one I don’t have.
How did you start playing music and why?
When I was 12 I bought my first harmonica and
my first easel. Those two things have ever since been
twinkled together in an inseparable kind of way. I
think that’s when things got a bit confused in my
head and now I can’t play music as a “real” musician
does, but rather “paint” music with instruments.
In the same way sound is very important in my
paintings … my latest exhibition was called Silence.

Do you prefer music or painting?
Either, both, always…together! The more the better!

Who is your favourite Italian music act?
Sacri Cuori – naturalmente.

What is your favourite meal?
At the moment I love to cook and eat Involtini di
Pesce Spada (Sword Fish Involtini) Sicilian recipe.

Catch MICHELANGELO RUSSO and HUGO
RACE at the B.East Thursday March 5.

DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

CORE

CRUNCH

PUNK, SKA,
HARDCORE
NEWS, REVIEWS & GOSSIP

With Emily Kelly: ek1984@gmail.com
Well we can all check off Soundwave from our 2014 calendar.
Time to draw a bath and submerge our aching eardrums in
warm, suddy water for a while and enjoy that surreal peace
that only a dense, velvety blanket of H2O can provide.
Though I didn’t see as many bands at Soundwave as I’d have
liked, I did catch a fraction of Green Day’s set. I spent the
entire 20 minutes pondering what it must be like to live as
an eternal manchild, to reach superstardom in your formative
years (you know the ones wherein you reckon it’s heaps funny
to call your new album ‘Dookie’ and sing about beating off ),
and spend eternity thereafter reliving, reviving, re-enacting
what was only meant to be a fleeting moment in your youth.
This is not meant to serve as an indictment on the band or
album at all. Dookie is still one of the best punk albums of
all time. But when Billie Joe Armstrong makes his audience
of 50,000 pause to sing Happy Birthday to his 19-year-old
son, you can’t help but reflect on how old he actually is and
how he might feel about still singing a song he penned
haphazardly 22 years ago (was quietly chuffed when 2,000
Light Years Away was included in the setlist, but then, at three
hours long, what wasn’t going to be included?).
One of the most promising new bands to arise from
Melbourne in recent months, Ceres, have announced the
release date for their new album I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere
But Here via Hobbledehoy Records on Friday April 4. They’ll
also tour in support of the release, hitting the John Curtin
Hotel on Friday March 21, Karova Lounge in Ballarat on
Sunday March 23 and Reverence Hotel on Friday March 28.
Break The Ice has announced its spectacular lineup for the
weekend 10 and 11 May 2014. Ringworm will headline
the weekend at Lilydale Showground, with an international
headliner TBC and appearances from Mindsnare,
Foundation, Twitch No Tongues, Disgrace, Iron Mind,
I Exist, Endless Heights, Warbrain, Shackles, Blkout,
Outright, Starvation, Legions, Colossus, Mood Swing,
Manhunt, Downside and Born Free. Tickets are available
now via Oztix. As usual it will be an all ages, drug and alcohol
free event.
If you’re feelin’ bummed about the cancellation of Push Over,
go drown your sorrows in the almighty lineup that Jacknife
and Poison City have put together for ‘Push ON’ fest. Go
see The Smith Street Band, The Bennies, Luca Brasi, Max

METAL, HEAVY ROCK. CLASSIC ROCK
LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL
GOOD SHIT

With Peter Hodgson: crunchcolumn@gmail.com

CORE GIG GUIDE
THURSDAY MARCH 6:
Death Audio, Head Filled Attraction, Transience at Next
FRIDAY MARCH 7:
Boris The Blade, Electrik Dynamite, Crowned Kings,
Atlantic, No Vacancy at The Evelyn
SixFtHick, Bad Vision, Space Junk at The Old Bar
SATURDAY MARCH 8:
Wil Wagner, Max Stern, Pinch Hitter at The Reverence
Hotel
Down to Nothing, Piece By Piece, Relentless, Warbrain,
Starvation, Frozen Over, Mood Swing, Colossus,
Machine Genova, Proclaim at Phoenix Youth Center
Stories at Bang
We Disappear, As A Rival, The Controllers, James Avent
at Revolver
Golden Plains Festival
Doom, Cripple Bastards, Jig Al at the Corner Hotel
Stories, To Light Atlantis, Surrender The Throne at Bang
Bodies, River Of Snakes at The Tote
Speed Demons, Death Valley, Road Ratz, Australian
Kingswood Factory, Chaingun at The Bendigo Hotel
SUNDAY MARCH 9:
Max Stern, Pinch Hitter at The Old Bar
Down To Nothing, Piece By Piece at The Reverence
Hotel
Stories at Wrangler Studios
Golden Plains
Jiig Al, Filth, Pissbolt, Buirst and more at The Bendigo
MONDAY MARCH 10:
The Smith Street Band, The Bennies, Luca Brasi, Max
Goes To Hollywood, Max Stern, Rockenspiele at
Phoenix Youth Centre
Goes To Hollywood, Max Stern and Rockenspiele at the
Phoenix Youth Centre in Footscray for a measly $20 on
Monday 10 March.

SOUNDWAVE 2014: WHOA

Soundwave week is now but a drunken blissful hazy
memory. I caught a few Sidewaves during the week (all
coincidentally at The Palace): Baroness/Gojira/Mastodon,
Mushroomhead/Rob Zombie/Korn, and Walking Papers/
Down/Alice In Chains. It’s hard to pick a favourite
because they all kicked arse in their own way, but the
sheer entertainment value of Rob Zombie’s set seemed to
push Korn up to a new level. And it was great to see Duff
McKagan and members of Living Colour join Down
onstage for an epic jam (concluded by Phil Anselmo singing
“And she’s buuuuying a stair-fucking-way to… heaven.”
And Soundwave itself was of course amazing as always. My
personal highlight was probably the mighty Gwar for all
sorts of reasons, some of them musical and some of them
purely related to the over-the-top blood-and-gutsness of it
all. What where your favourites?

NEW MARTY FRIEDMAN
ALBUM: AWESOME

I’ve just got me an advance copy of former Megadeth guitarist
Marty Friedman’s new solo album, Inferno, and it’s freaking
amazing. It’s his first solo album of original material in four
years and his first recording in more than a decade that will be
released worldwide simultaneously (in the last week of May).
It includes guest appearances by several artists influenced by
Marty including Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom), Danko
Jones, flamenco/metal acoustic duo Rodrigo y Gabriela
and Revocation’s David Davidson. The album also includes
Marty’s first songwriting collaboration with Jason Becker
since the pair played together in Cacophony. And that’s
not the only Cacophony link: Marty’s playing throughout
the album is at a level of shredsmanship not heard from him
since his Cacophony days, and that’s really saying something.

CONQUERING DYSTOPIA
ALBUM OUT MARCH 10

Conquering Dystopia, the new band featuring guitarists
Keith Merrow and Jeff Loomis (ex-Nevermore), bass
player Alex Webster (Cannibal Corpse) and drummer Alex
Rüdinger (The Faceless) will release their 12-track selftitled debut album on Monday March 10.

OBSCENE EXTREME
FESTIVAL

The Obscene Extreme festival is at The Reverence Hotel
and The Corner Hotel, from Friday March 7 – Sunday
March 9. Since its birth in 1999, over 500 bands have played
Obscene Extreme Festival from almost every corner of the
world, bringing with them a horde of diehard extreme music
fans from across Europe and beyond to its home base in the
Czech Republic. The list of bands is huge, and the sheer
number of spiky logos is staggering to behold.

Motherslug are now 20% sexier after having recruited new
guitarist Danny Thrash, who is mostly known for his breakneck drumming in Queensland old school punk band Vicious, being bassist for local rockers 180 Proof and combing his beard. A multi-instrumentalist, he now finds himself
playing guitar in a style that is heavily influenced by Sabbath-esque early ‘70s metal as well as the recent wave of retro/stoner/doom bands. Catch Motherslug at The Bendigo
Hotel on March 22 with The High Drifters (EP launch),
Borrachero and Turqminus. First 50 punters through the
door get a free digital copy of Motherslug’s self-titled EP.

WES HAUCH LEAVES THE
FACELESS

Speaking of The Faceless alumni, guitarist Wes Hauch has
just stepped aside from the band to join reactivated deathcore
project Glass Casket, featuring Between the Buried and Me
drummer Blake Richardson and guitarist Dustie Waring.
There were rumours that The Faceless bassist Evan Brewer
was leaving the band but they’ve confirmed that he’s staying
on, and they’re plowing ahead with an album of new material,
shelving plans for a covers album at this time.

Over 25 years of playing together, Altan have established
themselves as one of the most important live acts to
play traditional Irish music in Ireland and on the world
stage. They have played their music in some of the most
prestigious venues in the world: The Sydney Opera House,
The Hollywood Bowl, The Royal Albert Hall, The Alte
Opera Frankfurt, The Greek Theatre Los Angeles and many,
many more. They have played music and recorded with The
Chieftains, Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, and
Ricky Skaggs to name but a few. The band have gained gold
and platinum status in Ireland with their record sales and
have won numerous awards in the music business as one of
the most popular bands playing traditional folk and world
music. You can catch them at the Brunswick Town Hall this
Wednesday March 5 and Thursday March 6 as a part of the
Brunswick Music Festival. Support from Jenny M. Thomas
& the System. Tickets $55, doors 8pm.

MOUSTACHE ANT

The Moustache Ant lads are marching to the Bendigo Hotel
on Wedesnday March 5 to give you a big dose of mid-week
madness. Joining them on the line up will be Clint Flick, The
Nuremberg Code and Socially Handicapped. If that’s not
enough to cream the jeans, entry is only $8, doors open at
8pm.

CAT CANTERI’S ELECTRIC BAND

Stepping out from behind the drum kit to the front of stage
with a guitar in her hands, singer-songwriter, and multiinstrumentalist Cat Canteri (The Stillsons) will be putting
her new electric band through it’s paces in the front bar,
every Wednesday in March. Canteri has been busy putting
the finishing touches on her debut solo album, which has
been produced by ARIA award-winning Craig Pilkington
(Archie Roach, Gurrumul, Killjoys), and will be releasing
the album later in the year. Head down to The Retreat from
7.30pm to get in on all the action.

MATT HARRISON AND
ANDRE McMILLAN
The freshest offering to the Revolver Bandroom and Colonel
Tan’s is the new ‘The Acoustic Sessions’ dining experience,
where you can pull up a seat at a table in the front room (or
a couch if you prefer) and enjoy some relaxed tunes from
an array of Melbourne and Australia’s finest acoustic artists
week in, week out. All whilst enjoying the large number
of choices from the Colonel Tan’s Thai Restaurant menu.
For the month of March Revolver is having a Peninsula
invasion with the crew from 100% Entertainment providing
audiences with a variety of singer-songwriters varying across
genres from blues to folk to pop. Head down and see the very
best in what the Mornington Peninsula has to offer. Doors at
6.30pm, acts start 7pm.

THE TASTE OF INDIE
COLLECTIVE
Taking up residency upstairs at the Slow Club at The Tote
Hotel on Wednesday nights in March is The Taste of Indie
Collective. This week featuring solo singer/songwriter/guitarist
Will Corner and the fantastic indie rock trio Lazybones
with brilliant guitarist Rhys Jones. Both will be doing two
sets of original material on the night so there will be a great
opportunity to get a taste of these artists. Every week The Taste
of Indie Collective will feature two acts. Stay tuned to their
Facebook page, facebook.com/TheTasteOfIndieCollective for
some very special guests who will be appearing along the way.
It’s Indie Wednesday at The Tote Slow Club for the whole
month of March so march on down and hear some of the best
original music made in Melbourne.

THE BRUNSWICK HOTEL’S
OPEN MIC
Hosted by Brodie, whether you play a comedian, poet,
musician or dancer, you are welcome here at the Brunny Every
Wednesday for The Brunny’s Open Mic Night. Register from
7pm onwards. The Timeslot Raffle is drawn out at 7:30pm.
Get in early to ensure you get a spot! $10 Jugs of Boags
Draught all night, for those needing liquid courage...

DON FERNANDO

The boys will be bringing every ounce of heavyweight stoner
‘riffage’ they have to Cherry, having just opened for Clutch
on their Soundwave tour! Late 2013 saw the boys pushing
their ‘high octane stoner tunes’ to a new audience, playing
numerous festival and club shows around South America.
And now they have returned to home soil to record a new
album, and share their uber tight, and punchy live shows
with their Australian audiences once again. Don Fernando
play a Wednesdays in March residency at the legendary
Cherry Bar with supports this week Seedy Jeezus and Child.
Doors 6pm, Free entry with live music from 9pm to 11pm.
DJ Mermaid plays till 3am.

THURSDAY MARCH 6
ANTONIO SERRANO

World-renowned Spanish harmonica genius Antonio
Serrano presents his brand new one man show. The show
effortlessly criss-crosses between the genres of classical, jazz,
blues, pop, world and flamenco. Antonio plays an eclectic
repertoire of his own unique arrangements of melodies from
film themes to folk melodies, Bach to Bacharach, as well as
his own original compositions. As each song is accompanied
by its own story, the maestro invites you into his life for one
unforgettable night in a personal and intimate setting. Catch
him at the Mechanics Institute Performing Arts Centre this
Thursday March 6 from 7.30pm. Tickets $32.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S
DAY AT THE BENDIGO
Women rule. So does rock ‘n’ roll. In honour of International
Women’s Day, a rad line-up of (mostly) ladies takes to the
stage to celebrate lady-ness. Long Holiday’s ‘90s grunge will
have you regretting not wearing a flannie,The Reprobettes’
all-girl delinquent troupe promise ‘60s garage rock with
style, Ewe Ewe are sure to crank up the fun with their jangly
jams, and The Dreamboats’ date-pop will make you want to
pay for their dinner. Thursday March 6 at the Bendigo.

Our guitarist does not own a guitar amp or
any pedals. Basically at every gig he pretends
that something’s wrong with his gear so that he
can borrow a half decent piece of equipment,
rather than use the shitty solid state Marshall
he’s been lent.
None of the band members live in the same
suburb in Melbourne. I guess we are band
of misfits including interstate wieners, coastal
hippies, country bumpkins, Brunswick hipsters,
suburban babes and of course, Italian/Sri Lankans.
On an Australian tour we were chased by a
van full of drunken angry customers in the
middle of nowhere, Wolf Creek style. After a
slight altercation caused by their stupidity, the
van sped through oncoming traffic to catch us
and proceeded to tailgate us for a minimum of
30 minutes
After the third night of excessive partying in
Sydney, we all assessed it was time to call it a
night…but accidentally left Lili in the city,
20 minutes away from our accommodation.
Carting around six members can get a bit crazy
at times, we probably should have a roll call
system.
In Canberrra our bassist drank Phil Jamieson’s
(for those who don’t know or care, Grinspoon’s
lead singer) rider and ate his meat platter.
Going hungry is a pretty standard feature of
being in a band that tours a lot, so lesson learned.
Don’t leave meat platters or Coronas lying
around if you don’t want them eaten.

ANIMAL HOSPITAL

This Thursday night at Bar Open is shaping to be a cracker!
The Aesthetics are a gripping car-crash of wilful stupidity
into the shiny 21st smartypants musical universe, a wideeyed kindergarten of playground punk rock. Their recent
LP Ugly Ambition is already two or three lineups ago, always
Matt Middleton (Crude) on vocals, guitar, sax, and in recent
years Edie Stevens on bass. This is the debut gig with their
new drummer James (ex Total Control). Joining them are
Ghost Gums who are Ian Wadley (Bird Blobs) Samaan
Fieck (Where Were You At Lunch) on guitars and Kishore
Ryan (Kid Sam) on drums; they string out a slow-motion
replay of every song ever written, like a garbage compactor
shows you how to make automobiles. Their live LP cassette
Vertical Slum is now on Vacant Valley. Headliner Animal
Hospital is a one man orchestra of sounds built up from
scratch, taking a guitar and various things to tap, knock,
twiddle, and scratch. All this from 8pm.

LOUISE ADAMS BAND

Powerfully feminine vocals; husky, smoky and smooth,
combined with original blues, rock, folk, country and soulinspired guitar rhythms and lyrics. Compared to amazing
vocalists Grace Slick, Florence Welch and Patti Smith;
compliments Louise modestly brushes aside, but nevertheless
hold some truth. Louise is wowing audiences throughout
SA, Victoria, NSW and as far as Colombia, UK and New
York! Recently at Adelaide Fringe, Tamworth Country
Music Festival, Bendigo Blues Roots Festival, and Frances
Folk Gathering. Has supported Mia Dyson, Jeff Lang, Luke
Legs and more! Playing with full band - stomping double
bass, drums, and lead guitar licks; don’t miss the anticipated
launch of Louise’s debut self-titled EP this Thursday at The
Retreat. Support from The Naysayers and Melody.

SUZANNE KINSELLA

With a poetic grit reminiscent of PJ Harvey, singersongwriter and bass player, Suzanne Kinsella, is a true gem
within the world of modern pop. Wielding a freight train
of sophisticated writing, luscious musical arrangements
and consistent live performances, Suzanne is redefining the
musical landscape for Australian female musicians daring
to tread a little further south of ‘indie’ borders. Suzanne has
worked with a plethora of artists including, Gotye, Deborah
Conway, Dallas Frasca, Jess McAvoy, Liz Stringer, Woohoo
Revue and Sabrina and the Red Vans. Supported by the
brooding and velvety tones of singer-songwriter Brooke
Russell and Country Folk and Blues warriors, Queen
and Convict. She plays The Old Bar on Thursday night at
8.30pm for only $8

IAIN ARCHIBALD BAND

The Iain Archibald Band is a fresh, exciting and entertaining
country-rock local four piece fronted by singer, song-writer
and lead guitarist Iain Archibald, who has been penning and
playing his unique blend of country lyrics and rock grooves
since 2009. Iain’s style has been likened to artists such as
Keith Urban, Zac Brown, Bryan Adams and The Eagles. The
band released its debut 7-track EP Dirty in August 2013 to
positive acclaim and received air play in both Australia and
the USA. Iain and his band have played such iconic venues
as The Forum Theatre, Federation Square and The Gershwin
Room. They will be playing alongside the legendary Kevin
Borich Express at Fawkner’s Musicland on Thursday March
6. Doors at 7.30pm and entry is $20.

THE SWEETHEARTS

Cherry’s infamous Thursday Soul in the Basement welcomes
back The Sweethearts at 10pm which also marks the first
Thursday of their last Thursday of the Month Residency. Be
sure to head down and see the monstrous 27-piece all-girl
all-teen soul act from Motor City Geetroit live in action! DJs
Vince Peach and Pierre Baroni late, $10 from 8pm till 5am.

ANIMAUX

To kick off their 2014, Animaux (pronounced an-ee-mo)
have just announced another one of their famous residencies
at Melbourne’s Evelyn Hotel. Animaux had a massive 2013,
being handpicked to open for the Cat Empire on four
occasions, playing three month-long headline residencies at
the Evelyn Hotel to an unprecedentedly packed band room
every week, blowing audiences away at St Kilda Festival
and appearing at Inca Roads Music Festival, as well as the
inaugural Paradise and NYE On The Hill festivals. Now the
‘Maux think it’s time to come back to their favourite venue
for yet another month’s worth of killer shows, featuring some
of Australia’s finest talent week in and week out.

TWIN AGES

Twin Ages putting on another shindig at the Brunny with a
great back line with The Groves a must see, Big Head Ella a
Melbourne favourite and Stone Desert with their Big Bang
Sound! $3 schooners, $5 basics, the only place for great live
music and getting half cut on a Thursday night. 8pm and free
entry, you can’t go wrong!

LURCH AND CHIEF play Liberty Social on
Saturday March 15.

NAME THAT POINT IN THE NIGHT WHEN JOKES TURN INTO JOKER IMPERSONATIONS. VISIT NAMETHATPOINT.COM TO WIN $5,000

MUSIC NEWS

YOUR
COMPREHENSIVE
LOCAL GUIDE

For all the latest news check out beat.com.au

MUSTERED COURAGE

FRIDAY MARCH 7
MIKELANGELO AND THE
BIGMOUTH CHOIR
Award winning singer and performer extraordinaire
Mikelangelo steps into the hallowed ground of Brunswick
Uniting Church to perform his favourite hymns and gospel
songs. Unplugged and acapella, with neither microphone nor
band, Mikelangelo will unfurl his remarkable bass baritone,
making full use of the beautiful acoustics of the church. He
will interpret gospel classics made famous by Paul Robeson,
Sam Cooke and Elvis Presley, as well singing a collection
of his own compositions, some of which will have their
international premiere at this show. Also on the bill is
Bigmouth Choir, who will fill the church with harmony and
will join Mikelangelo for a magnificent finale. Catch him at
Brunswick Uniting Church from 8pm on Friday March 7 as
a part of the Brunswick Music Festival. Tickets $25.

MAMA KIN

ARIA nominee, Mama Kin is part raconteur and all-out
entertainer. Created at the junction where strength meets
vulnerability, Mama Kin’s music oozes soulfulness. Unafraid
to mine the depths of the human condition, Mama Kin taps
raw emotions, fears and insecurities, pushing the boundaries
of self- expression. Her critically acclaimed sophomore
album The Magician’s Daughter followed on from the warcry that was her debut Beat and Holler, firmly solidifying
Mama Kin’s reputation as a purveyor of foot-stomping bass
lines and ballads of open-hearted tenderness. Winner of
the WAM Award for Folk Act of the Year and shortlisted
for the Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition, Mama
Kin has shared stages nationally and internationally with
the likes of The Cat Empire, Ani di Franco, Gurrumul,
The Waifs and John Butler Trio. As mischievous as she is
charming, Mama Kin is renowned for her stirring live shows,
where storytelling, intimacy and community reign. She’ll be
playing the Brunswick Town Hall on Friday March 7 as a
part of the Brunswick Music Festival. Tickets $28.

On Friday March 7 at Northcote Social Club, Mustered
Courage will break down another wall of genre scepticism
when they perform two contrasting sets of original material,
back to back. The first set will feature standard bluegrass
instrumentation: acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin and
double bass. This will be followed by an unconventional
electric set fuelled by telecasters, drums, electric bass, lap
steel guitar, and keyboards. The band will perform under
the pseudonym Crusty Mustard during the electric set and
will rock a selection of Mustered Courage material like a
southern rock, honky-tonk, bluegrass cyborg: think if Bill
Monroe, Lynard Skynard, and Spinal Tap had a love child and
it started performing Mustered Courage songs.

THE STIFFYS

Melbourne rock and roll two-piece The Stiffys will play for free
at The Public Bar on Friday night to celebrate the release of
their new single Boogie Boarding. The success of their national
Champagne single tour late last year earned them the support
slot for “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! “ star David
Liebe Hart’s Australian tour, followed by mini tours to Sydney,
Brisbane and Adelaide. In their off-time the band began
filming and selling exercise videotapes on eBay and ran an
uninvited fundraiser for Fitzroy’s The Old Bar. DJ Nick Pratt
joins them on the bill. Free entry, doors 8.30pm.

JOHN CITIZEN

John Citizen are a band making pop music straight out of
lower-middle-class Melbourne. Forming quietly in early
2013, the lads from John Citizen subsequently spent the
next year or so writing their debut EP which they will be
launching on Friday March 7 at The Workers Club. Featuring
members past and present of Sex on Toast, Powerfuck and
The Call Up, John Citizen are finally ready to unleash an allout assault of hook-driven anthems, Brian Wilson-inspired
harmony and generally pretty decent songwriting onto the
(probably somewhat suspecting) masses of Melbourne and
beyond. John Citizen are a band for the everyman, the everywoman, and the everyday.

THE KEYTAR KIDS

What do you get when you put a rock supergroup on stage
with just 49 mini-keys, six tone banks and a pitch-bend wheel?
You get three kooky haired youngsters who call themselves
The Keytar Kids. Join the boys for a AA-battery-powered
show that will take you on a funky journey into the world of
the ‘keytar’ - the love-child of the guitar and keyboard. The
boys from The Keytar Kids will strap on their axes to launch
their debut EP Snappy. Fresh. New. at Bar Open this Friday
night. The opening act will be the wonderful Jude Perl. Doors
10pm, free entry.

DAVID BRIDIE

David Bridie hits the road again across February and March
with performances that mix up the old and new – songs
from his 2013 release, Wake, as well as some gems from his
extensive back catalogue in film and music. To mark the tour
Bridie has released a new music video for single Shortest
Day of The Year which was shot in L.A. by director Catriona
McKenzie of Satellite Boy. The LA-based editor Sara Mineo
of Game of Thrones fame lent her magic touch in the editing
suite, and the clip stars Haskell Vaughn Anderson III, side
kick to Jean-Claude Van Damme in his 1989 film Kickboxer.
With a veritable who’s who of the film world getting involved
in the music videos for Wake it seems Julianne Moore will
not be the only new high profile fan to jump on the Bridie
bandwagon. This is the third clip in a series of filmic music
videos produced for Wake, which included the award-winning
video for Delegate (winner of the Nevada International Film
Festival award for best music video and nominated Guild
Award). The Clip for Shortest Day of The Year ponders the last
day of a life, the day you die, the sweet in the bitter, memories
from the gamut of a life’s experience. Catch Bridie at the Port
Fairy Music Festival from Friday March 7 – Tuesday March
11 and at the Brunswick Music Festival on Friday March 14.

MACHINA GENOVA

Five piece hardcore metal band Machina Genova hailing
from Canberra, are in Melbourne this week on their East
Coast tour and are playing at Playground with Human Ruins,
Fever Teeth, Removalist, Outposts. Doors at 8pm and tix are
$10. Sweet!

MIKHAEL PASKALEV

With his sparkling folk-pop and indie soul croon, Mikhael
Paskalev is the best thing to come out of Oslo since fjörds
– and now he’s coming to Australia. The charismatic singer/
songwriter will be making his very first visit to our shores in
March 2014. A hit in Norway upon its release and a triple j
fave in Oz, I Spy has been viewed over 1.6 million times on
YouTube and Vimeo so far – not to mention lauded by sites
like Hype Machine and The Huffington Post. Paskalev is set
to bring his super catchy, pop with a twist to Australia this
March. He’ll be stopping off at Howler on Friday March 7.
Tickets available through the venue.

DJ MURO

One of Japan’s most prolific and well respected hip hop artists,
a producer, a DJ, a designer and record store owner, DJ Muro
hits the Espy this Friday night! Well known for digging
for old records in order to (re)create new ones, he has been
active since the late 80s when he formed a group with that
other Japanese icon, DJ Krush. His King Of Diggin’ mix tape
series are the stuff of legends. Originally on tape and later on
CD, the mixtapes collected rare funk, jazz and other styles
as sampled in hip hop productions. This was all back in the
days before entire label discographies could be downloaded
at 1 mb/s via the web. The compilations were characterized
by impeccable mixing, great selections and a true b-boy
aesthetic. DJ Muro is the undisputed king of Diggin’ in Japan
but respected globally. Check out this true digger of obscure
breaks and samples, rare funk, jazz and some other serious
Afro funk nuggets when he tours Australia for the first time
this March playing sets exclusively on 7” vinyl. Free entry.
Special guests TBA.

CHILD

Heavy Judy presents Child. Three piece Stoner Blues
local outfit who have been spraying their fuzz across the
countryside since late 2012. Some say there were born from
Jackals, others say they are the result of the Institution. The
truth is they are a bunch of long haired scallywags who have
a fetish for perforated eardrums. They play the Retreat Hotel
on Friday March 7 with support from White Summer and DJ
Shaky Memorial til 3am.

Toe-tapping cowboy tunes? Sea shanties? Dark folk ballads?
Adelaide’s Brillig are storytellers from another time artfully
blending all this and more. Featuring vocal harmonies and a
fine array of instruments, their eclectic combination of styles
has seen them referenced with Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen,
The Decemberists and The Pogues (to name a few). Equally
at home in Germany’s State Theatre Leipzig, the folk circuits
of Australia and New Zealand or the clubs of Berlin and
Prague. Catch Brillig as they bring their distinct sound to
The Yarra Hotel Abbotsford this Friday March 7. Free entry,
music 9pm followed by DJ Convict till late.

Free Entry

WEDNESDAY

FROM 10PM

mAR 5TH

BLOW OUT
Get Busy, Mat Cant
& Sammy the Bullet

THURSDAY

Free Entry

MELBOURNE UKULELE
FESTIVAL

FROM 10PM

MAR 6TH

BEER CAN
Strange Yonder & Jack Shit

FRIDAY
MAR 7TH

Free Entry

FROM 10PM

GET LIT
Moonshine, D'fro, Get Busy
& Twerkshop Melbourne

~

Hark! The weekend of March 7 – 9 2014 marks the fifth annual
Melbourne Ukulele Festival. From Friday 7pm to Sunday
midnight there’s great fun, loads of activity and non-stop
ukulele - free and ticketed concerts, markets, merchandise, and
workshops for everyone from beginners to experienced players.
Book early to avoid disappointment to see over 80 performers,
local and international, at venues dotted around Ruckers Hill.
Venues include the Northcote Town Hall, Wesley Anne, Bar
303, Open Studio and Shellac Gallery.

So then, what’s the band name and what do
you ‘do’ in the band? My name is Darcy Fox and
I am a soloist singer/songwriter. I play guitar,
sing and use a loop pedal.
What do you reckon people will say you sound
like? In the past I have been likened to a female
Ed Sheeran (world’s biggest compliment!)
What do you love about making music? The
way that I am able to work out my own feelings
and share my stories through my songs and
that indescribable feeling I get when I get to
perform on stage.
What do you hate about the music industry?
I hate that it can be so hard for independent
artists to get recognition and exposure.
If you could travel back in time and show one
of your musical heroes your stuff, who would
it be and why? I wouldn’t have to travel in time
because lucky for me they’re still alive but I
would love to show Ed Sheeran my stuff (I’m a
huge fan). He is one of the most phenomenal
performers I have ever seen and since his live
show I have been striving to improve myself so
that one day I might be able to put on a show so
entertaining! He is also an incredible songwriter.
If you could assassinate one person or band from
popular music, who would it and why? Robin
Thicke! Blurred Lines really should not exist.
What can a punter expect from your live
show? Original acoustic songs with a lot of
looping and some fast paced lyrics.
What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? I’ve got an
album that I released in 2012 that’s made up of
13 original songs.
When’s the gig and with who? It’s on Monday
March 10 with the other regional finalists
Alkali Fly (Croydon), Baking Blind (Dingley),
Residual (Geelong), Listerdale (Wodonga), The
Rims (Alphington), Bel Air (Ballarat), Worship
The Fallen (Mildura) and Great John Himself
(Airport West). With headlining acts Remi,
Allday and The Smith Street Band.
Anything else to add?
You don’t wanna miss this gig, all of bands are
amazing and I have a feeling it’s going to be an
awesome day.

OBSCENE EXTREME

Since the birth of Obscene Extreme back in 1999 exactly
643 bands will have played the Obscene Extreme festival.
These bands have come from almost every corner of the
globe and have attracted hordes of diehard extreme music
fans from all over Europe and well beyond its home base
in the Czech Republic. What brings the fans to Obscene
Extreme is more than the wide selection of underground
grindcore, crust, punk, death, thrash, hardcore and almost
every underground style in between, but also the incredible
atmosphere, the DIY ethic and the true spirit of community.
It doesn’t matter where you’re from or who you are, everyone
is the same when you’re in the pit! Headlining the event this
year at the Reverence Hotel on Friday March 7 is Cripple
Bastards from Italy and Jig-Ai from the Czech Republic.
Doors 5pm and entry is $36.

LIFE PATH

This show is a Life Path gig dedicated to Matty Wheeldon
who suddenly passed away on February 14 . Matty loved his
music and the bands playing on the night including Boris
the Blade, Electrik Dynamite, Crowned Kings, Atlantic and
his favourite cover band No Vacancy all of whom were good
friends of Matt. They were bands he ALWAYS went to see.
They play The Evelyn on March 7.

SATURDAY MARCH 8
THE GROWLERS

Californian, tinkling porch crooners, The Growlers will
be hitting the East Coast of Australia, along with fellow
Californians, Tomorrows Tulips. It’s always summer for both
of these budding groups, The Growlers’ upbeat melodies and
dynamic instrumentals infuse a certain sense of youthful
charm, hell-bent on making your body move. Meanwhile,
Tomorrows Tulips focus on the dreamy psychedelic side of
the spectrum. Tomorrows Tulips’ laid-back, surf tunes are
hanging with good vibes and clouded with ‘60s and ‘70s
influences, stemming from lead man and pro surfer, Alex
Knost’s submergence in the surfing subculture. Having
started Tomorrows Tulips with his girlfriend back in 2009,
they’ve released two albums, an EP and a bunch of singles.
They’ve toured Europe and America extensively with The
Growlers, racking up a cult following of kids and creeps
along the way and soon, we’ll be lucky enough to catch them
side by side on this upcoming Australian tour. Laced with a
psychedelic circus of surf, sex, hobo trance and boom boom
twang, The Growlers and Tomorrows Tulips will make for
one hell of a high and you can see them on Saturday March
8 at The Tote Hotel.

DJ YODA

After taking over the Espy back in January, DJ Yoda returns
with his tongue-in-cheek mixing style that prompted Q
Magazine to declare him “one of the ten DJs to see before
you die,” whilst Hip Hop Connection voted him “one of the
top three DJs in the world.” From hip-hop beginnings, DJ
Yoda has evolved in the past ten years, using his turntable
skills and diverse influences, as varied as funk, b-more,
Kuduro, reggae, drum‘n’bass and even big band swing and
country and western, to make unashamed party music. He
can be found cutting the Indiana Jones theme with wooferworrying dubstep or The Muppet Theme with MIA. His shows
are peppered with film, TV and YouTube samples and visuals
that lift his sets to new and stratospheric heights. Don’t miss
out this Friday March 8 at The Espy.

SPEED DEMONS

Speed Demons is a balls-out, hard rockin’ three piece that
sounds like Lemmy fronting Rose Tattoo (with a little bit of
Lobby thrown in for good measure). Many of the songs are
about Smeer’s car and there’s a healthy dose of humour in
tracks like Mr. Potato Head’s Mid-Life Crisis and Terracotta
Jesus. Joining 'em this Saturday night at The Bendigo are
Death Valley from Sydney, road ratz, Australian Kingswood
Factory and Chaingun for a night of hi octane rockabilly and
rock 'n' roll radness. Doors open at 8pm. Entry is $10.

FINGERBONE

The past few years have seen a huge resurgence in the
sounds of Appalachia. Bluegrass is back, and in a big way.
Fingerbone Bill are purveyors of this Appalachian sound, but
not in the way of the Mumford method. This lot play with
the heart and vitality that defines the greats of the genre.
It’s country, bluegrass, hokum and old time, and it’s damn
good fun. Catch Fingerbone Bill this Saturday night at the
Drunken Poet from 9pm.

Set for their album launch with Bugdust and My Left Boot,
Dead City Ruins are ready to hit the infamous Cherry
Bar stage this Saturday night. Doors 5pm, $13 door for
bands from 8pm, then $10 from 11pm for DJ Mary M
till 5am. Dead City Ruins play their new album track for
track! Recently opening for Skid Row and Ugly Kid Joe in
America, you don’t wanna miss out on this cracker of a night!

WOMEN OF ROCK MINI FESTIVAL AND LIVE BROADCAST
Women of Rock features live music from Bahdoesa, Illana
Atkinson, Ninetynine, Dead River, Darts, The Villenettes,
She’s The Band, Empat Lima plus DJ Kira Puru & DJ
Long Dong. Held on IWD, Women of Rock celebrates
Melbourne’s proud tradition of rockin’ female musicians. The
festival will also be broadcast live on 3CR 855AM, digital
and streaming. So head along and be a part of Women
of Rock - everyone is welcome! The Public Bar 7pm til
midnight 3CR Community Radio, digital and online. Visit
3cr.org.au for more.

OL’ TIMEY MUSIC JAM

Craig Westward (ex Headbelly Buzzard among other bands)
brings his weekly ol’ timey music jam session to The Victoria
Hotel. BYO instrument or just hang out and enjoy the music.
Every Saturday 5pm.

THE VOLCANIKS

The Volcaniks declare The Yarra Hotel an LSD free zone this
Saturday March 8. (LSD = Lead Singer Disease). Expect
some foot stomping classic sounds unencumbered by the
self-obsessed wailings of a heartbroken singer/songwriter
or a breast-beating politico. This is surf music for people
who don’t surf - but still know their rock n’ roll from The
Ventures to Dick Dale, The Chantays to the Nightriders. All
hail the gods of reverb and twang! Yarra Hotel Abbotsford,
this Saturday night from 9pm followed by DJ Biggsy of RRR
fame. Free entry.

BOOM CRASH OPERA

Aussie rock icons Boom Crash Opera are making their way
to the Northcote Social Club over Labour Day Weekend.
Formed in 1985, Boom Crash Opera exploded on the scene
with their debut single Great Wall, which showed they were
a pop band who played with a rock attitude. This track along
with the follow up single, Hands Up In The Air, became
anthems for a whole generation of Aussie youth. Catch the
seminal Aussie five-piece on Saturday March 8. Tickets
available through the venue. Doors open at 8.30pm.

ALEX AND THE SHY
LASHLIES
Dear friend - herein lies a formal invite for you to attend a
rather luminous event or two taking place at The Old Bar.
Hosted by brooding popsters Alex and The Shy Lashlies
and supported by a plethora of Melbourne royalty this will
surely bend your stem to the sun, really tickle your pickle.
It will be happening every Saturday afternoon in March
from 3pm sharp! On these dates you shall be entertained
by Kim Volkman & The Whisky Priests (ex. X) on March
8, Modesty on March 15, Little Desert on March 22, and
Laura Imbruglia with full band on March 29. It’s free every
Saturday arvo from 3pm.

DANDELION WINE

Since their successful crowdfunded tour of Europe last year,
Dandelion Wine have been laying low on the gig front. Can’t
top the feeling of standing on a European festival main stage
playing to a massive crowd of Germans in medieval dress,
one could theorise? They have, in fact, been writing material
for album number five. Lifting their heads from the depths of
said songwriting, Dandelion Wine sneak into Brunswick to
road test a couple of newies at the Retreat Hotel at a civilised
afternoon time slot of 5pm on Saturday March 8. Joining
them, direct from their sell-out Gallery sessions at Adelaide
Fringe, will be labelmates Brillig. Both bands being known
for their diverse and plentiful array of unusual instruments,
everyone hopes there’s room in the front bar to squish the
bell cittern, accordion, Appalachian dulcimer, viola, flute,
banjo, auto harp, sansula and guitars all on the stage plus
people! Head on to The Reatreat from 5pm.

CARUS THOMPSON

It’s now 11 years ago that folk rocker Carus
Thompson recorded his career-defining double live
record Acoustic At The Norfolk. At the time he was virtually
unknown outside his home state of WA and the album’s
release, coupled with the explosion of the Australian roots
scene, got him radio play and launched him onto the national
touring circuit. He hit the road big time with supports for
fellow West Oz mates John Butler and The Waifs, as well
as Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, Xavier Rudd, Pete
Murray, Missy Higgins and appeared at all the major festivals
a few times over, cementing his place as one of this country’s
most respected and loved acoustic folk artists, and earning
a well-deserved reputation as a powerful live performer. It’s
amazing that it all started with this one live acoustic record
that he didn’t even rehearse for. To this day it’s still his most
popular release, adored by his loyal and growing fan base.
At this very special show Carus will play Acoustic At The
Norfolk from start to finish in the intimate setting of The
Shebeen, revisiting for a night the songs and magic that
made the album and him such a success. Tickets from the
Corner Box Office and shebeenbandroom.com.au.

NAME THAT POINT IN THE NIGHT WHEN CLEAR THINKING TURNS INTO MORE DRINKING. VISIT NAMETHATPOINT.COM TO WIN $5,000

CRYING SIRENS

Crying Sirens are a Melbourne four-piece made up of
Jesse Delaney (vocals/guitar), Adam Kurzel (vocals/guitar),
Toshiharu Sakamoto (bass) and Greg Limberis (drums). All
band mates have extensively recorded and toured in other
Australian bands. Crying Sirens mix elements of progressive
post-hardcore rock with shoegaze delay and atmosphere.
Their first album is being mixed at the moment with release
scheduled for mid year on a local label. They play the Brunny
on Saturday March 8 with Sydney’s Patchwork Girls and
also with Melbourne’s Siren Black and the Rash of Satan.

SUNDAY MARCH 9
THE LACHLAN BRUCE BAND

Power Trio, The Lachlan Bruce Band be rocking the Labor
Day long weekend jam packed with big riffs, solos and
everything you can think of that makes blues/rock great!
Lachlan has returned from his debut European tour to
deliver Melbourne audiences one of its own true virtuoso
guitarists! Beth Brown & The Holy Rollers, a gospel blues
outfit will be supporting and road-testing their latest single
Unseen to be released with rock legend Shane O’Mara,
producer of Paul Kelly, Tim Rogers and The Audreys. With
vocal tones of silk and honey, Beth’s greatest asset is her
ability to entrance an audience with her earthy, grounded
and honest delivery. Joe Conroy frontman of Joe Conroy and
The Phantom 309 will be sliding into solo form, uncovering
your greatest musical fantasy with his abounding imaginative
lyrics and natural melodic flare for what promises to be a
memorable evening of original tunes! Check it out at Bar
Open from 10pm. Free entry.

SVEN VATH

In what has become something of a tradition, Cocoon’s head
honcho Sven Vath is set to once again unleash his universally
recognised brand of techno at the official Future Music Festival
Cocoon Stage After Party on Sunday 9 March (Labour Day
weekend). The massive throwdown will take place over two
levels at Prince Band Room and Public Bar. Tickets available
through the venue’s website. Doors at 10pm.

DOWN TO NOTHING

Seven years after their first visit to Australia, 2014 will
finally see America’s Down To Nothing return to our shores
in support of their monster new album Life On The James
released on the legendary Revelation Records. Australian
audiences finally have the chance to join in on the fun once
more as Down To Nothing hit the country for a limited
run of shows this March. Joining them are hardcore super
group Piece By Piece. Featuring members of Terror, Internal
Affairs, Carry On and more, Piece By Piece are an irreverent
blend of all their previous bands while bringing something
new to the table entirely. They play the Reverence Hotel on
Sunday March 9 with 50 Lions and Born Free. Doors 7pm,
entry $25.

DARREN HANLON

Darren Hanlon, Australia’s ever-travelling folk minstrel, will
return to Australia this March after an all-stops adventure
of the American southern states. The album, which Hanlon
wrote on trains and buses and in basements throughout,
ended up being recorded in five different studios with an
extensive cast of musicians, consisting of some worldrenowned history-making players (Spooner Oldham, David
Hood, Howard Grimes) and random people he just met
on the street. “I just wanted this project to feel completely
organic and loose. I let fate lead me to whatever happened,
I didn’t plan anything,” explains Hanlon. What resulted is a
suite of 12 new songs that highlights a new focus and energy
in Hanlon’s writing. On the verge of this collection of songs
being released as what will be his sixth album proper, Hanlon
is presenting five shows throughout Victoria, New South
Wales and Australian Capital Territory in intimate spaces to
preview the album before its slated release in May. He’ll be
playing in Melbourne at Queens College in Brunswick on
Sunday March 9. Free entry.

LOS CORONAS

With just two weeks to go until our favourite Spaniards touch
down in Australia we are psyched to announce the incredible
mix of support bands & DJs who’ll be adding particularly
healthy doses of surf, rock 'n' roll and boogie into each Los
Coronas headline show along the way. Los Coronas are a
hard band to share a stage with because they are so damn
good but as always the Aussie acts are willing to take on a
challenge and will all be giving it their best shot; Los Tones,
Mesa Cosa, Atom Bombs, Day Of The Dead, Huge Magnet,
Martin Cilia (The Atlantics), Dirty York, Surfasaurus, plus
DJ Bruce Milne, DJ Rusty Hopkinson (You Am I), and DJ
Holly Doll (RTRFM). Los Coronas will be at Golden Plains
Festival on Sunday, March 9.

CHERRY BAR SPECIAL EVENT

This Labour Day Public Holiday Eve Cherry Bar have a
very special event in place for your long weekend! They’re
screening Murderdrome, the world’s first Roller Derby Slasher
Film starring B on the Rocks as the She Demon Killer on
blades. Joining them on the night The Mercy Kills and Dark
Shadows (Sydney) hit the stage to provide the music. Tix $20
from cherrybar.com.au and on the door if available. Doors
7pm. Film screens 8pm sharp. DJ Mermaid until 3am. For
more info visit monsterpictures.com.au

MUSIC NEWS

YOUR
COMPREHENSIVE
LOCAL GUIDE

For all the latest news check out beat.com.au

GEORGIA MAQ

Local footscray singer songwriter Georgia Maq has decided
to spend her Sundays in March eating vegan pizza and playing
songs with a bunch of friends for you at the Reverence Hotel.
All the shows are free and begin at 3pm.

LISA MILLER

Since the release of her debut album in 1996, Lisa Miller
has received consistent and unanimous praise from reviewers
across the board, and earned a place as one of our very finest
musical artists. Miller was a final-five nominee for the Best
Female Artist ARIA Award in 1999 for her second album As
Far As A Life Goes, in 2003 for Car Tape and again in 2004 for
Version Originale. Lisa Miller has what every singer strives
for – a voice of her own. Catch her this Sunday from 4pm at
the Drunken Poet.

PRIMITIVE CALCULATORS

It’s time to celebrate the achievement of workers, this
Sunday March 9 at The Public Bar on the eve of Labour
Day. The Public Bar and Coopers present an evening of fine
dining, heavy drinking and experimental music featuring
Melbourne’s eclectic and hard hitting electronic punk outfit
Primitive Calculators. With support from Prolife, Mad
Nanna, Vacuum, Worng and DJ Miles Brown, the afternoon
will start early and run through to the evening. Free entry
and cheap booze.

ANDREW NOLTE & HIS
ORCHESTRA
Performing since 2009, Andrew Nolte, his saxophone and
his novelty dance orchestra have performed jazz festivals,
jazz clubs, and live music venues to an astonishing amount
of appreciation. The band, consisting of eight highly trained
musicians, features a cavalcade of roaring brass, wailing
saxophones and a banjo, sousaphone, trap kit rhythm section
that cannot be beat for authentic vintage style and taste.
Playing intricate original orchestrations from the Gatsby era,
the band boasts an extensive repertoire to evoke any mood
of the 1920s desired by any dancer, vintage lover, cocktail
addict etc. Whether you are an afficianado or new to this
crazy music, you will certainly find a new love for this oftenneglected period of popular music. Andrew Nolte and His
Orchestra, of radio fame, will be performing their first show
at the wonderfully suited The Spotted Mallard this Sunday
from 4.30pm. Performing for your dancing, dining, drinking
and listening pleasure, showcasing the music of wireless,
stage and silver screen of the 1920s, the band not only wears
vintage, plays vintage instruments and orchestrations, but
also SOUNDS vintage. Be prepared to be transported back in
time with this band. A not-to-be-missed Sunday afternoon's
entertainment, worthy of The Great Gatsby. Free entry.

MONDAY MARCH 10
THE HARPOONS

On March 10 at the Toff in Town, The Harpoons are
encouraging thrilling new explorations into the shapes a
human body can conjure on the dance floor. Keeping it simple
and well-performed is the ethic with The Harpoons, as it is
allowed to be when you have such percussive, happy-go-lucky
guitar warbling, accompanied by a voice that is actually made
of pure daylight. Brothers, Hand Mirror, are also in the ranks
with their sickeningly dank tape loops engineered by Oscar
Key Sung being ridden with irresponsible glee by the shrill
voiced, glitter endorsed HTMLflowers. Expect a new free issue
of HTMLflowers’ comic series - Bright Threadz. Beware you
don’t sweat them to shreds in your back pocket on the d-floor
- it has happened before. Major Napier’s constant undulating
synth arrangements maternally catered to by Johnny Ross’ sleek,
climbing voice will be bringing the night into ceremony with
sterling harmony. Organically humming and pummelling, his
beats create an atmosphere of euphoria made honourable by the
remembrance of past regrets and love lost.

UNPAVED SONGWRITER
SESSIONS
With a strong and growing reputation for deepening the
appreciation of songcraft in Melbourne, Unpaved Songwriter
Sessions host six original artists every week, sharing songs
in a similar fashion to what they do at the Bluebird Cafe
in Nashville. To date the weekly event has attracted some of
the best names in Australian songwriting including Charles
Jenkins, Liz Stringer, Van Walker, Courtney Barnett, Tracy
McNeil, Lachlan Bryan, Bill Jackson, Sal Kimber and many
more. So make your way to The Old Bar next Monday to see
why these nights have become so popular with genuine music
lovers. Get there early to guarantee a seat. $5 entry at 8pm
Monday at The Old Bar.

OSAKA MONAURAIL

They dress immaculately in the sharpest of suits, they move
in total unison while the horn section spins and twirls, all
the while building up a driving funk energy; they are Osaka
Monaurail. They’ve toured for the worlds biggest festivals and
played the tightest clubs for the last 20 years and they’re back
at the Espy on Sunday March 10 with The Putbacks (feat
Emma Donovan), Chris Gill and Manchild.

TUESDAY MARCH 11
THE DO YO THANGS

Boasting an elegant line in sweet soul The Do Yo Thangs are
a seven-piece outfit that feature lush vocal harmonies, nasty
beats and straight up killah tunes. Founded by drummer and
song writer, Hugh Rabinovici, once described as a Jewish
Stevie Wonder from the eastern suburbs, The Do Yo Thangs
evolved in the seedy share houses of Melbourne and have been
gracing the stage over the past 12 months. Join them for their
second night of residency at the Evelyn Hotel with Tiaryn.

THE STRAY SISTERS

There are just a few weeks to go until The Stray Sisters kick
off their first national tour and it’s clear that fans of Donna
Simpson and Vikki Thorn are keen to see what this new
project will offer. So keen are the fans that some venues
around the country have put up the sold out signs. We’re
pleased to announce that the Thursday March 13 show at The
Corner is full to the brim. Due to overwhelming demand, a
second show has been added on Tuesday March 11, for which
tickets are on sale now from The Corner’s website. Don’t miss
Donna and Vikki, getting back to basics, not as “The Waifs
without Josh” but as The Stray Sisters, rediscovering their love
for singing and performing together.

BREABACH

Breabach deliver a thrilling and unique brand of
contemporary folk music, which has earned the group
international recognition on the world and roots music scene
as one of the UK’s most dynamic and influential bands; an
ascent that continues with the release of their fourth album,
Ùrlar, out in Australia on March 7. The haunting strains of
twin bagpipes have become a defining signature of Breabach
– a chiming herald of Scottish folk being embraced by a
new generation. They are often described as the new faces of
Scottish Traditional music. Their career has already seen them
voted ‘Best Group’ at the recent Scots Trad Music Awards
and nominated for BBC Radio 2 Folk and German Folk
Awards. They play two Port Fairy sideshows in Melbourne,
March 11 at Brunswick Music Festival and Friday 28 March
at the Caravan Music Club.

LOOKING FORWARD

THE STU THOMAS PARADOX
PRESENTS THE SONGS OF
LEE HAZLEWOOD
The Flying Saucer Club presents a tribute to Lee Hazlewood
– one of the most influential men in the history of music.
For one night only on Saturday March 22, Stu Thomas tips
his hat to this great man alongside an all-star cast of musical
talents. Lee Hazlewood was a maverick in the best sense of
the word, living by his own rules during a long, fruitful and
travelled career. He was writer of mega-hits for artists such
as Nancy Sinatra and Duane Eddy, an inventive producer
and a unique performer. He fathered the Countrypolitan
genre with impeccable productions that ranged from cowboy
minimalism to overblown brassy pop. Many people around
the world are familiar with Lee’s songs, even if they don’t
realise it. Responsible for tunes like These Boots Are Made For
Walkin, Lady Bird, Sugar Town, Summer Wine and Some Velvet
Morning. His impact on modern music and generations of
musicians is immeasurable, and Stu is no exception – Lee
has been a remarkable inspiration for him. Along with Clare
Moore (Moodists, Coral Snakes), Phil Collings (Surrealists)
and Eduardo Miller (Love Brothers), give thanks to this
man as the Stu Thomas Paradox present The Songs of Lee
Hazlewood in two big sets of magnificent music. Doors 8pm,
tickets and more info via flyingsacuerclub.com.au.

2013 was year of The Pharrell. Creative/innovator/
extraordinaire, last year saw Williams sing on the yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two
biggest records. His work on Daft Punkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Random Access
Memories resulted in a storm of shiny accolades including
four Grammys. The second track, Blurred Lines, however,
found the artist defending a contentious song that had been
banned by several university student unions and declared
as one of the most controversial songs of the decade. The
subject of Blurred Lines remains debated, but with lyrics
such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll give you something big enough to tear your
ass in two,â&#x20AC;? Robin Thicke and Pharrell became the target
of fuming feminists worldwide, many declaring the track
as anything but pro-women. The latter claim stands in
contradiction to Pharrellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first solo studio album in eight
years; one which he says is devoted to the fairer sex.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;When Columbia Records presented me with the
opportunity to make an albumâ&#x20AC;ŚÂ I instantly knew it would
be calledÂ G I R L,â&#x20AC;? Pharrell explains. Further stating that
â&#x20AC;&#x153;women are the cornerstoneâ&#x20AC;? of his existence, the spaces
between the album title in capital letters represent that
â&#x20AC;&#x153;thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an imbalance in society about the way we treat
womenâ&#x20AC;?. Framing your first album in a near decade as
a female-centric record off the back of your involvement
with the biggest song of 2013, which was also labelled
as exceedingly sexist, is no easy feat. However, with an
impressive combination of collaborators including Alicia
Keys, Miley Cyrus, Justin Timberlake and BFFs Daft Punk,
coupled with a contagiously euphoric Oscar-nominated hit,
stands for the best possible antidote to any lingering hate.
Happy is indeed the highlight track. There is something to
be said about music that serves as an instant pick-me-up.
The Motown laden song is brilliant in its use of ethereal
gospel harmonies and groovy (there is no other word) beat.

SYN SWEET 10
1. Colliders ROKU MUSIC
2. St. Vincent ST. VINCENT
Topped with Pharrellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature falsetto voice, there are
many reasons why this song has been embraced worldwide
and why he was invited to perform it at the Oscars. Gust
of Wind and Gush follow closely. The former relies on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s
funk bass lines woven under rich and deep staccato string
sections. Invoking an aesthetic palette similar to Beyond
from Random Access Memories, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an appropriate track to
reunite with Daft Punk. With lush orchestrations, Gush is
a hedonistic song with neo-soul and funk influences. It has
to be noted that Pharrell is the ONLY person who can get
away with the lyrics, â&#x20AC;&#x153;make the p*ssy just gush.â&#x20AC;?

3. Delete DMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

TAMARA VOGL

COLLECTORS CORNER
MISSING LINK TOP 10

BEST TRACK: Happy
IF YOU LIKE THESE, YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;LL LIKE THIS:
RAPHAEL SAADIQ, DAFT PUNK, PRINCE
In A Word: Celebratory

For all the latest singles check out beat.com.au
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;M A FAMILY MAN, BUT I LOVES ME SOME
POONTANGâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WOODY HAROLDSONS IN â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;THE
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THE BABE RAINBOW

Evolution 1964
(Flightless/Remote Control)
Sticking the landing on a time-warp back to the
titular era, nascent outfit The Babe Rainbow emanate
a potent and detached out-of-body, out-of-mind cool.
On-point psychedelic sensibilities dusted with some
pretty darn tasty hooks, dirtying up the knees on its
bellbottoms begging for repeat listens. Happy to oblige.

BEYONCE

Partition
(Columbia/Sony)
The song alone has me biting my fist and banging
my shoe on the table like an animal but the video
just about got me passinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; out here. God-tier shit from
Queen Bey. Bow the fuck down.

BOY GEORGE

King Of Everything
(Cometmarket)
Best response to Kendrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Control verse yet.
(Disclaimer: didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t actually listen.)

DEAN BLUNT

Mersh
(Rough Trade)
Mysterious, ephemeral and excellent production duo
Hype Williams disbanded midway through last year,
with Dean Blunt and Inga Copeland continuing to
command intrigue under their respective banners
henceforth. Mersh from Blunt is a heady little creeper,
soundtracking the damage crawl to the finish line with
dawn in sight. Taken from the upcoming full-length
Black Metal, due out sometime, 2014.

year with a laid-back grind, an alternate universe
scenario where Diplo produced Drop It Like Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hot.
I See You
(XL/Remote Control)
I wanna say that The Horrors are stylistic chameleons,
but I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really remember what they used to sound
like. Digginâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the psychedelic wash of I See You, the deft
primordial electronic elements needling a subtle thread
until the eventual lift-off.

EDWARD SHARPE AND THE
MAGNETIC ZEROES

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Get High
(Create Control)
Not a Dr Dre cover, which is DEFINITELY for the
best. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Get High is insufferable clap-happy trash
anyway, and holy shit, six minutes? Could have cut out
the middleman, and five minutes thirty, and mailed it
to some bullshit marketing company for sync action
or, better yet, posted it direct to the toilet. Excuse me
while I give Dreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2001 a couple of spins to cleanse
the palate.

FEAT.

Newborn
(Dot Dash/Remote Control)
Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great song hiding amongst the not-quitethere puzzle pieces of Newborn, the opening couplet
spar between Jess Cornelius and Laura Jean more
irritating than compelling, the hook choosing to
invoke hugeness rather than actually, yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;know, sound
huge? Eventually a space clears, the two vocalists lock
together harmoniously for a coda that could have
found a home on any of Bowieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Berlin trilogy. The
promise is there, as are a few choice magic moments,
but it still falls disappointingly short.

For all of the (deserved) adulation directed toward Bruce Springsteen in the wake of
his recent phenomenal live shows, there was a time not that long ago when Bruce’s
stock was in decline. Having inexplicably sacked the E Street Band, Bruce released
some albums that were quickly relegated to the bargain bin. A lesser artist must have
bunkered down in the basement of resentment and frustration; Bruce, to his eternal
credit, pulled himself up by his boot straps and revived his brand in the only way he
knows – by playing rock’n’roll.
High Hopes is Springsteen’s latest record, though isn’t necessarily a new record in the purest sense of the term. The title
track is almost 20 years old, while other tracks were conceived (and some cases, recorded) from the late ‘90s to the early
part of this century. But the beauty of Springsteen’s lyrics is that while they might deal with a moment in time – such as
his observations of the Vietnam Memorial in The Wall or romance in any American town in Frankie Fell in Love – the
songs transcend temporal space.
Few songwriters can reach the heart of the American psyche free from jingoistic pretension: on American Skin (41
Shots) Springsteen is there again, exploring the contradictions of the world’s most pervasive culture and celebrating
its sociological subtleties, while This Is Your Sword overlays the metaphor of armour with a Celtic-gospel sensibility to
portray the emotional spirit.
There is the occasional moment when it doesn’t all hang together: Harry’s Place sounds like it could have been discarded
from a failed ‘80s record, and the lyrics read more like a shopping list of tabloid images than Bruce’s usual insightful
social commentary. But later on you get the haunting The Ghost of Tom Joad and all is forgiven.
Despite the regular inferences of deification, Bruce Springsteen isn’t perfect – but he’s pretty damn good, and he seems
to be getting better every day.
BEST TRACK: The Ghost of Tom Joad
IF YOU LIKE THESE, YOU’LL LIKE THIS: BRUCE
PATRICK EMERY
SPRINGSTEEN, obviously
IN A WORD: Bruce

ELBOW

The Take Off And Landing Of Everything (Fiction/Universal)
Anyone displeased with the sunny disposition of Build A Rocket Boys! should be very
satisfied with Elbow’s follow-up. Singer Guy Garvey apparently broke up with his
longtime girlfriend while it was being made, but you don’t need to know that to note
the present sense of loss throughout the album.
There’s a lot to admire – the production is perfect, for a start. The harmonies of Real
Life (Angel) and its repeated ‘angel’ lyric, coupled with a backing string section, are
incredibly moving. My Sad Captains is classic Elbow, a sea shanty elegy to fallen
comrades that seems to describe life as “a perfect waste of time”.
What’s missing from this album, though, is Elbow’s past catharsis. There’s no emotional release here like on Station
Approach or New Born. On this album, melody is king. Apart from the debauched brass and woodwinds on Fly Boy Blue/
Lunette (the clear album highlight), the focus is always on Garvey’s voice, and it’s stuck on sadman mode.
Elbow fans will find a lot to love in this album, but a newcomer’s enjoyment relies on them loving Garvey’s voice.
Otherwise the melancholia will get to them quickly.
BEST TRACK: Fly Boy Blue/Lunette
IF YOU LIKE THESE, YOU’LL LIKE THIS: DOVES Lost
LEONARDO SILVESTRINI
Souls, SPIRITUALISED Let It Come Down
IN A WORD: Sullen

Oxymoron is the newest album to come from TDE’s quest to dominate the rap
game in 2014. While also being a play on oxycontin, Q said the title comes
from having to do bad to do good, namely selling crack/whatever to look after
his daughter. Drugs and his daughter largely permeate the subject matter of
Oxymoron with the theme being as prevalent as bucket hats in Q’s wardrobe. He
unfolds the story of his faded formative years on songs like Hoover Street which
tells of his grandma hiding cheques from a junkie uncle who made him piss in
cups; his mother would later whoop his ass for “Them was the good days” he says. But this isn’t one of those ‘came
from the struggle” joints that were played out even by the time Jay Z came through, this is more a celebration of
wildin’ out with a few cautionary tales in the liner notes. On Prescription Drugs he’s elated because he “Just stopped
selling crack today,” but he follows it up with “O-X-Y-[I’m]Moron” because he’s replaced it with prescription drugs
like oxycontin that he struggles with more. This is one of a lot of tracks on the album where while he confronts the
negativity of drugs, he does it with the charisma of someone not worried about their effects.
Oxymoron is Schoolboy Q saying he fucks with drugs a lot and likes it, but it makes him sad sometimes. He’s also
detailing a ghetto heritage and a desperate way of living that he’s too busy getting rich being a debonair gangster
to give a shit about right now.
BEST TRACK: Break The Bank
IF YOU LIKE THESE, YOU’LL LIKE THIS: Old DANNY
EDGAR IVAN
BROWN, AB-SOUL
IN A WORD: Money

THE NYMPHS

It’s Been A Long Time Awaiting (Independent)
Fans of The Nymphs rejoice: after almost a decade of pitch-perfect a capella harmonies,
the band have finally released an album. Summoning the sounds of bygone eras, the
debut LP features everything you’d expect from the local favourites: stunning voices,
stamps, and handclaps, without the aid of instrumentation.
A large part of The Nymphs’ charm resides not only in their melodic expertise, but in
their ability to craft evocative compositions. Tracing ‘40s jazz, ‘50s swing and early ‘60s
pop, each song drops the listener in a particular space. Weary processional Hope I Feel
Better Soon conjures images of prisoners chipping away at stone, chanting the song’s deeply intoxicating refrain.
A second highlight emerges in the poignant Grave Shift, a delicate hymn with a haunting quality. The Nymphs
demonstrate with their versatility through the likes of the toe-tapping single Shake and the boppy Lookin’ For Love. For
every dark indulgence, there’s light relief in store, with a quirky delight or two (Doctor, Why Oh Why) thrown in for good
measure.
It’s Been A Long Time Awaiting is warm and immersive, owed in part to the effortless authenticity of The Nymphs’
endeavours. Each of their original songs showcase a certain reverence for past classics and standards. This city has been
blessed with its share of vocal pop groups of late, but
BEST TRACK: Grave Shift
The Nymphs – now more than ever with the release of
IF YOU LIKE THESE, YOU’LL LIKE THIS: Space
this immensely satisfying album – might just triumph
ALUKA, Betcha Bottom Dollar THE PUPPINI
as Melbourne’s finest.
SISTERS
IN A WORD: Diverse
NICK MASON

BETH HART

Bang Bang Boom Boom (Mascot Records)

BETTER THAN THE WIZARDS

Better Than The Wizards (Independent)

In the market for some basic upbeat pop music with elements of soul? The self-titled
debut album from Better Than The Wizards is here to satisfy that need. From opener
She Said to final track Play With Fire, you get that 100 per cent generic upbeat pop
sound with those exotic elements of soul.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with upbeat music that’s enjoyable to listen to, no matter whose
name is on the cover. The thing is, you’ve heard it all before. And yes, this album does have
a bit more fire to it than you may be used to, with that pop-in-your-step bassline or the
horn sections blasting a false impression of originality into your head. But you’re not hearing anything new. Even the opening
lyrics of Up All Night tell you as much: “This story has been told a thousand times before / But I’m just making sure you heard it right”.
And that’s what this album is. It’s a drink with a little
umbrella in it and you’re led to believe you’re drinking
BEST TRACK: Up All Night
something exotic. But take the umbrella out and you’ll
IF YOU LIKE THESE, YOU’LL LIKE THIS:
realise you’ve just got tequila and orange juice. That said,
LITTLE RED
what’s wrong with tequila and orange juice?
IN A WORD: Familiar
DANIEL PRIOR

THIS WEEK
WED 5TH

WEEK AFTER
WED 12TH

SONIC MOON W HOLLOW HOUNDS + SARAH JEAN

VERDAINE W NEW BIRDS + GUESTS

THURS 6TH

SEX ST W THE BLACK ALLEYS, EUPHORIA + HAPPY GO BLUES

INVISIBLE DEARS W DEAR PLASTIC + BJ
MORRISZONKLE
FRI 7TH

CONTRAST ‘SINGLE LAUNCH’ W ATOLLS + SAGAMORE
SUN 9TH

THE LET YOUR HAIR DOWN GIRLS
FREE IN THE FRONT BAR FROM 5PM

KITCHEN HOURS

American blues singer-songwriter Beth Hart is back with her eighth album,
Bang Bang Boom Boom, following on from her critically acclaimed release Don’t
Explain in 2011. An uplifting album about love, Bang Bang Boom Boom promises
plenty and doesn’t disappoint. Hart’s powerful and distinctive vocals are on show,
combining blues with elements of rock, soul, jazz and gospel.
Although opening track Baddest Blues is a slow start, the album only gets better
from here. Title track Bang Bang Boom Boom is a favourite, catchy and upbeat.
Other favourites are heartfelt ballads With You Everyday and Everything Must Change, the groovy beat of The
Ugliest House on the Block and the standout Thru the Window Of My Mind, Hart’s best vocal. Bang Bang Boom Boom
also features a bonus track which is a great addition to the album, Hart performing I’d Rather Go Blind live with
Jeff Beck at the Kennedy Centre Honours in 2012, in a fitting tribute to blues superstar Buddy Guy.
Beth Hart’s star should continue to rise as a result of Bang Bang Boom Boom. With a great mix of upbeat blues
tracks and ballads, this album is an easy listen which
leaves us eagerly anticipating her future releases.
BEST TRACK:Thru The Window of My Mind
IF YOU LIKE THESE, YOU’LL LIKE THIS: ANA
ALI BIRNIE
POPOVIC, JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR
IN A WORD: Blues

THURS 13TH
FRI 14TH

UP UP AWAY EP LAUNCH W ECHO DRAMA + THE GROVES
SAT 15TH

THE BEEGLES W SHINY JOE RYAN AND THE COSMIC
MICROWAVE BACKGROUND, ROXY LAVISH AND THE SUICIDE
CULT + LOCAL GROUP
SUN 16TH

PHOENIX
Our recent cover stars Phoenix will play a
headline show this week to coincide with their
appearance on the 2014 Future Music Festival
bill. Earlier this year saw the French outfit
release their fifth studio album Bankrupt!
They’ll be joined by World’s End Press. Catch
‘em at Festival Hall on Thursday March 6.

Jazz-fusion sensation Robert Glasper Experiment
will hit Melbourne this week with very special
guests Roy Ayers and Lonnie Liston Smith.
2013 Grammy award winners, Robert Glasper
Experiment are without doubt one of the greatest
jazz fusion bands to emerge from the US in the last
20 years and are well on their way to becoming the
hottest jazz artists in the world. Catch them at The
Forum on Friday March 7.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tinnie cracking time! Golden Plains is finally
here. The eighth incarnation of Golden Plains,
which will feature performances from hip hop
royalty Public Enemy, indie darlings Yo La
Tengo plus a host of international, national and
local talent. Golden Plains 2014 takes place over
Saturday March 8 - Monday March 10 at the
Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well and
truly sold out.

Melbourne’s annual Moomba Festival kicks off this
week! Now in it’s 60th year, the festival features a
stack of great arts and cultural events. Starting Friday,
the festival will include ﬁreworks, the notorious
Birdman Rally (where contestants attempt to ﬂy
across the river by leaping off a four-metre platform
with wings attached to their costumes…as you do),
culminating in the Moomba Parade on Monday.
As part of the festivities, The Push are curating a
Pop-Up Stage, showcasing some of Victoria’s best
young bands in the FReeZA Push Start Grand Final.
Competing bands are Alkali Fly, Baking Blind,
Residual, Darcy Fox, Listerdale, The Rims, Bel Air,
Worship The Fallen and Great John Himself. Entry
to the stage will be free, making it even easier for you
to get along and support some fabulous young talent.
Also performing are super special guests The Smith
Street Band, Remi and Allday. After scoring a spot
in the most recent Hottest 100, Remi delighted fans
at St Kilda Festival, as did Allday, whose set had to
be cut short after crazed fans stormed the stage.
Get along to enjoy some great live music and to take
advantage of all Moomba has to offer.
Are you an unsigned artist, band or singer looking
for a leg up? You could score a cash prize of up to
$10,000 and one-on-one mentoring sessions thanks
to the Unsigned Only Music Competition. Open
to acts who aren’t signed to a major record label
(independent labels are allowed), the competition is
judged by industry professionals, aiming to unearth
and promote fresh new talent. Mentoring sessions
include record company presidents, A&R reps and
more, allowing participants to gain valuable feedback
and networking opportunities. Entries close March 13,
so head to unsignedonly.com for full entry details.
The crafty kids at Moreland FReeZA have organised
a sweet BMX competition/outdoor cinema/live music
event for this Friday. Not only will the event feature
some crazy good local talent from Beloved Elk,
Solstice and uber babes Tully On Tully, there will also
be a ﬁlm screening of Scott Pilgrim VS the World, as
well as BMX comps, food and DJs. Everything you’ve
always wanted and more, just like a tub of Neapolitan
ice cream, or a burger with the lot. Full details of this
event can be found below.

PLACEBO Palais Theatre, Thursday February 27
Like a fine wine, some bands get better with age and like a cheap tin, others go flat and expire. As I entered the Palais Theatre
to see goth icons Placebo, amidst a sea of jet black hair and finer nails part of me thought for a moment that they might have
fallen into the latter category.
They’ve certainly moved into a more mature space, as has their audience. Playing a one and a half hour set at a seated show
at the Palais theatre to a respectful and mostly sober crowd of adoring fans is a far cry from strumming out a couple in a back
alley dive to a handful of heroin-chic goths too cooked to know their ass from their elbow. It’s certainly a different Placebo in
a different time.
I was particularly taken with the epicness of the show. I didn’t remember them producing such a large and loud sound and I
certainly wasn’t anticipating it. Classics like Meds and Every You, Every Me take on a whole new identity when their brought
into that atmosphere and played in that nature with so much aggression and ferocity. Though the songs were still unmistakably
Placebo, due mostly of course to Brian Molkos familiar whine, they just seemed grander, purpose built for large scale performances
in arenas and festival main-stages. Though I didn’t expect it, it didn’t upset me and it certainly resonated with the crowd.
It was that aggression coupled with the industrial electronic drum tracks that laid under the entire set that showed me that
Placebo aren’t a band that remained stagnant, they’ve adapted to their surroundings and have toyed with their sound to appeal
to their audience. Their newer material wasn’t really my cup of tea. I’m not one for epic neo-goth industrial pop rock, I find it
to be a little too obvious, but I was happy to endure what I perceived to be lulls in the show for the peaks which were a grand
enough pay off. Though they haven’t really been in my thoughts of late, that doesn’t mean they haven’t been producing material
that appeals to those they target. Placebo, for all their goth androgynous quirks
and gimmicks are one of the most influential acts of the last couple of decades.I
LOVED: The Classics.
can’t deny Placebo their place in rock ‘n’ roll history - they’ve earned it.
HATED: The fact I couldn’t take my beer
to my seat.
KEATS MULLIGAN
DRANK: Nothing while I was at my seat.

In 1989 my club cricket team ventured to Gepps Cross in the outer northern suburbs of Adelaide to play Gepps Cross. Early in the
match, our young, brash fast bowler offered some choice commentary to one of the opposition’s opening batsman. At the end of the
over the batsman removed his helmet to reveal a head heavy with facial hair and a couple of earrings. His tattoos – in those days, a
graphic symbol of experience and potential aggression, rather than a mere fashion statement – suggested our bowler’s rhetoric was
ill-timed and intemperate. Within a few overs the bearded batsman was flailing us to all parts of the barren outfield, and our fate
was sealed.
The memory of that game drifted back as Clutch came onstage at the Prince Bandroom. Neil Fallon has no obvious tattoos, but
in every other respect he’s the tough bloke you know you shouldn’t mess with. Fallon parades around the stage like a blues-rock
evangelist, his incendiary stage presence lighting a fire of excitement in the already excited crowd. There’s a tethered mania in his
eyes, like a man who knows more than he reveals. Fallon gesticulates to affirm each rhetorical flourish. There’s nothing pretentious
or contrived here.
On guitar Tim Sult is a model of efficiency. There are no stadium rock histrionics, Jimmy Page antics or indulgent guitar hero moves,
yet the riffs keep coming with the relentless precision of a bludgeoning cover drive. Jean-Paul Gastner is a machine, and a brutal
machine at that: he’s swinging like a motherfucker, both musically and literally when the band breaks from stoner rock groove into
rock’n’roll whitewater. Bass player Dan Maines barely moves for the entire evening, and his grip on the rhythm section refuses to
be broken.
Clutch is an album band, and tonight’s set is weighed heavily toward material from the band’s most recent album, Earth Rocker,
though the band dips occasionally into its extensive catalogue; tracks such as Regulator, Spacegrass and Electric Worry send the crowd
into apoplexy. The set ends temporarily, and the band members return to the
stage for a two, or maybe three-song encore. Fallon takes a photo of the crowd
LOVED: The manifest absence of
for posterity and the night is over. You can’t fault Clutch – this is a rock’n’roll
pretension.
band like few others.
HATED: That is was a school night.
DRANK: Beer in plastic cups.
PATRICK EMERY

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AFI/††† (CROSSES) Prince Bandroom, Wednesday February 26
††† (Crosses), the new project for Deftones frontman Chino Moreno, saw him trading in the metal sound he has
owned for more than two decades for synthesisers, atmospheric electronica and a much softer rock approach. The
set was delivered with the finesse and energy of seasoned musicians, while the set was peppered with interesting
moments made up of hip hop beats and house dance sections, for the most part it felt too long.
Not often do you witness a support band playing an hour long set, but tonight the audience were treated to almost
the entire Crosses discography, and soon song after song began to bleed into each other. The groovy melodies of
Telepathy midway in started to wake the crowd but future efforts from the band fell short. Crosses played a classy
set with an interesting sound but tonight they were getting little in return.
It was a very different scene as soon as AFI stepped onto the stage. Opening with The Leaving Song Pt. II and
Girl’s Not Grey – a double-header from 2003’s Sing The Sorrows, whipped the room into an immediate frenzy,
proving that the sold out crowd were long time devotees. The small venue seemed as if it would burst at the seams,
and by third song I Hope You Suffer, vocalist Davey Havok was already utilising the no-barrier crowd access. Love
Like Winter from 2006’s Decemberunderground proved to be a mid-set favourite before The Leaving Song brought
things down for a slower sing-along.
AFI closed the main part of their set with their most commercial hit Miss Murder before returning to the stage
with a cover of The Cure’s Just Like Heaven and throwing back to evidently their most popular era with Dancing
Through Sunday and Silver And Cold.
While AFI may not be playing in arenas as big as they did eight years
LOVED: Feeling like I was a 14-year-old
ago, they still put on a thrilling live show, full of memorable moments
with too much eyeliner again.
and packed with an eternal enthusiasm and spark. It was clear from
HATED: Work the next day.
the state of the crowd leaving the venue that it is still a joy to watch
DRANK: Water and cider – drinks of
AFI put on a show with a flair that only AFI still can.
champions.
GLORIA BRANCATISANO

FLYING LOTUS The Forum, Friday February 28
Hawk-eyed clock-watching finally pays off: 9PM on Friday night finally ticks over. I sign out of work and make the
mad dash from the sales floor to what is undoubtedly going to be a heaving dance floor at The Forum. I arrive a few
minutes into Om Unit laying down breakneck 170BPM. Anyone who tells you drum and bass is dead is absolutely
full of shit: Om Unit keeps a steady, relentless momentum up that has the crowd of Melbourne’s resident cool kids
and weird units moving. It’s all whip-crack snares and basslines that rattle in your chest deftly mixed with the light
touch of a master at work – the kind of pared-back and unfathomably deep footwork and jungle sounds Om Unit has
been fronting of late with the likes of labels like Exit and Civil. Clearly, something is working, even despite the bizarre
sampling of Lorde’s Royals at one point: it’s not even ten and a circle of people skanking hard has already formed. I
am impressed. Om Unit rounds out his set with a smile and a wave, letting Melbourne’s own Silent Jay provide the
soundtrack to the interlude between the two main acts. A rising star within Melbourne’s beats scene, Silent Jay’s
productions provide a welcome
I haven’t seen Steven Ellison aka Flying Lotus in action since he played the Summadayze circuit a few years back – an
impressive set albeit in what couldn’t possibly be a more inappropriate context (harsh summer sunshine and the peak
of the day’s heat). Since then Ellison has soared to even greater heights: Brainfeeder is home to one of the most enviable rosters of talent in electronica, Ellison’s third album Until the Quiet Comes was a remarkable artistic achievement
lauded by both the underground and mainstream. And his newly-refreshed stage show, Jesus. Layer 3 is an impressive multidisciplinary achievement: three screens showing off strange, abstract visuals that flash forth and change as
quickly as the direction of FlyLo’s strange and compelling musical world. One might suspect that it would all become
a little too overwhelming at times, but one of Ellison’s many talents is knowing how to balance it all out - the flashes
of hyper colour, hallucinatory visuals playing back and forth off each other are a visual delight that pairs perfectly with
the wonky, bass-heavy experiments that FlyLo drops throughout the course of his set. Taking the heaving, packedout crowd through a journey that encompasses all four of his albums, there’s something there for everybody – and
when Ellison finally closes out the stage complete with two bras nicked
from God knows where and the promise he’ll be back soon enough, I’m
LOVED: FlyLo’s dazzling visuals.
walking on jelly legs tired from the furious dancing and full of euphoria. HATED: Tall people, as a 5”0 girl.
DRANK: Sparkling white.
MIKI MCLAY

Photos by Rebecca Houlden

SOUNDWAVE 2014 Flemington Racecourse, Friday February 28
Despite the tumultuous lead-up to Soundwave 2014 – tour cancellations from Desaparecidos, Megadeth and Stone Temple Pilots,
and timetable clashes – the atmosphere at Flemington Racecourse was sparked with excitement when this reviewer arrived with
her best friend in tow; crowds had pooled around stages in anticipation for the first act, while others had simply started their day
by lounging on the grass, preserving their energy for later that night.
This year Soundwave was spread out over seven main stages, catering for the 90+ bands that AJ Maddah organised, which meant
that there was going to be clashes (hence, I apologise in advance if I missed your favourite band).
Our day started at Stage 1, where Scottish band Biffy Clyro opened with an impressive set — they were energetic, charismatic and
damn good live, performing tracks from their oeuvre with ecstatic fervour and enthusiasm.
A quick wander off to Stage 3 and we caught the last few songs of pop-punk heartthrobs, Mayday Parade, who performed Three
Cheers For Five Years, Oh Well, Oh Well, and Jersey with as much charm as Chad Michael Murray (and he has a lot). Following act,
The Story So Far, were mediocre in comparison.
Severely underwhelmed, we ventured over to Stage 5, where its gargantuan tent introduced us to the wonder of Alkaline Trio.
Brash, honest and bass-driven, the trio performed This Could Be Love, Radio and I’m Only Here to Disappoint, enrapturing the
crowd, who fist-pumped away blissfully. Up next was MUTEMATH, who convinced my best friend to finally listen to them with
their impressive renditions of Prytania and Blood Pressure.
However, before we could finish watching their set, we rushed over to Stage 3 to ensure we had good spots for Californian
quartet, AFI. We were early; hence, Our Last Night earned some new fans with their charismatic post-hardcore sound and Trevor
Wentworth’s controlled timbre, or as my friend put it, “his beautiful face.” AFI were everything I imagined them to be and more.
They were humble and polite while churning out numbers like Silver and Cold, Dancing Through Sunday, and I Hope You Suffer,
reminding us why they’ve been in this business for over 20 years now.
Next up on Stage 3 was Panic! At The Disco. Their appalling performance was enough to sway us to believe that this was why
guitarist/vocalist Ryan Ross and bassist/guitarist Jon Walker decided to leave back in 2009. In fact, their performance was so bad
that my best friend and I created a review scale based on it.
On Stage 1, Placebo enchanted us with their innovative and somewhat drawn out performance, before A Day To Remember
rocked up on Stage 2 and made their guitars cry. It was disappointing for a band who are so enamouring on record.
The rest of the day followed similarly; Green Day’s set was a highlight, ridden with reminders that this was “our night” while
the trio performed over 30 songs, including Known Your Enemy, Basket Case, Minority and American Idiot. Green Day deserve a
fucking medal for their set. Overall, Soundwave 2014 was a day of sunburns
LOVED: The people.
enveloped in an atmosphere of elation and hardcore dedication.
HATED: Panic! At The Disco.
DRANK: Slushies and water.
AVRILLE BYLOK-COLLARD

EAGLES OF DEATH METAL, ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT, MUTEMATH
The Hi-Fi, Monday February 24
If you indulged the MUTEMATH frontman crowdsurfing on his custom made air mattress complete with lights, caressed his
keytar or just enjoyed the schizophrenic, genre defying spectacle, good for you. Ain’t no one want to deny anyone a good time.
Not many humans in rock‘n’roll today have the needling dry wit, effortless charm and velvety smooth demeanor of Rocket
From the Crypt’s lead singer John ‘Speedo’ Reis. Any frontman that convinces the crowd to loosen up by massaging the
shoulders of the person in front of them is worth his salt. RFTC’s set blistered, filled with all the classics the crowd were
hungry for, Born In 69’, On A Rope, I Was Made For You, I Know, plus more.
The band were clearly stoked to be in ‘Austria’, playing the ‘Shockwave’ festival as Reis cheekily put it. Rocket From The Crypt
burnt just as bright as anyone could have hoped for, old hands that give the young bucks a run for their money and do it all
with impeccable style.
If anyone was to attempt to rival John Reis, Jesse ‘the devil’ Hughes is certainly qualified. Hughes paced the stage with a manic
energy, determined to put on show, and put on a show he and The Eagles of Death Metal did.
All the hits from the first two albums rolled out, causing the crowd to shake in a collective frenzy. Jesse was feeling the love,
suggesting that we all do hot cocoa and hugs after the show. Hot Cocoa, a stripper friend of his naturally. Level issues plagued
the second half of the set but weren’t successful in derailing it. Punters were treated to an intimate version of Midnight Creeper,
Taking Care of Business and I’m Your Torpedo by a solo Hughes. The band then
returned to explode into a few more tracks before leaving the crowd with
LOVED: John Reis’s incessant cheeky
their primal instincts activated, ready to give themselves over to the spirits
banter.
of the night.
HATED: Post gig high, no sleep untill 2am.
DRANK: Not much, Monday yo!
KRYSTAL MAYNARD

A DAY
D AY TO REMEM
DA
REMEMBER/THE GHOST INSIDE/I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN
Forum,
The Foru
F
Fo
o rruu m,
m Thursday February 27
I Killed The Prom
Prroom
mQ
Que
Qu
Queen
u en wer
were given the job of opening the night. Playing through their newer material, set highlights came in the
he fo
he
fform
rm of classics Your Shirt Would Look Better With A Columbian Neck-tie and set closer Saying
rm
Goodbye which got a small
sm section of the crowd moving.
Punters weren’t promising
prom
to save any energy when The Ghost Inside stepped onto the stage, quickly getting the
mosh pit movin
moving. Engine 45 and Unspoken proved to be great openers, The Ghost Inside’s energetic performance
only spurring the crowd to give them more. The set was full of small surprises, from vocalist Jonathan Vigil’s positivity speech before Thirty Three to guest vocals from letlive.’s Jason Butler in Faith Or Forgiveness, each welcomed by a
ruckus
rucku of applause from the crowd and a lot more pit involvement. The band were clearly thriving off the energy being
thrown
th
at them, the smile not leaving Vigil’s face from the beginning of Engine 45 til the end of set closer Dark Horse.
From the opening chords of All I Want to the closing screams of The Downfall Of Us All, A Day To Remember delivered. The set wasn’t without its signature gimmicks. Right Back At It Again saw bouncy balls being let into the pit, All Signs Point To Lauderdale brought toilet paper, City Of Ocala had free t-shirts and It’s
opened with vocalist Jeremy McKinnon running across the pit in a hamster ball and begging
Complicatedd ope
the crowd “not to let him die”. There was no doubting A Day To Remember brought one hell of a rock show.
W
Wit
h a set lean
With
leaning to the heavier side of their discography they ripped through I’m Made Of Wax Larry startin
ing
ng the
ng
the first of many pit circles and used The Document Speaks For Itself as the backdrop for a wall of death.
IIns
In
nssid
n
ide
de aal
de
cha the biggest surprise of the night came when the band stripped things back for two acoustic tracks.
Inside
alll the chaos,
Sta
arrt
rti
ti
ting
ng with You Had Me At Hello before continuing to crowd singalong
Starting
favou
urrite
u
ttee If It Means
M
favourite
A Lot To You leaving only McKinnon and guitarist
LOVED: Watching people get fooled by
n Skaff
Skkaff on tthe stage.
S
Kevin
The Forum’s “outdoor” roof.
HATED: Nada.
RIA
R
IA
A BR
AN
GLORIA
BRANCATISANO
DRANK: Good ol’ H2O.